


Bring me home (for Christmas)

by queststar



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:22:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 30,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27656786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queststar/pseuds/queststar
Summary: When Regina Mills convinces Emma Swan to testify against Killian Jones, she ends up bringing her to her parental home for Christmas.Or: Undercover Christmas, OUAT style.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 51
Kudos: 163
Collections: Swan Queen Advent Calendar Collection 2





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I love tacky, cheesy Christmas movies. Undercover Christmas (2003) is one of my favorites. When I rewatched it again, I couldn't help but Swanqueenify it to my likings afterwards :) Happy holidays, everyone!

It was strange, Emma Swan thought, as she sunk further into the leather passenger seat of a black Mercedes, that sometimes her life seemed to progress really well. In those periods of time, all the cards of the deck of life were suddenly in her favor. She would keep pulling ace after ace, kings, and queens, and nothing could stop her from winning the game. It was a great feeling.

Too bad that those moments never really lasted very long.

She glared at the woman behind the steering wheel, observed the brunette and her clenched jaw for a few seconds before she sighed deeply. Turning her head to face away, she settled with staring out of the window. The festive Christmas decorations outside only darkened her mood further as she tried to comprehend what had gone wrong in the past two days.

48 hours ago, she was a waitress at Granny’s, the diner-slash-bar she’d been working at for the last couple of years. She had a boyfriend, a great apartment (which he partially paid for but that’s also because he lived there when he was in town), and for a while, things had been going really well. She was… happy. For the first time in her miserable, wretched excuse for a life she had been happy.

Until that asshole boyfriend had lied to her and an FBI agent had told her she had to testify against him, just a few days before Christmas.

A soft sigh escaped her lips. She saw how her breath condensed against the car window, while her mind was still trying to make sense of everything. 

As always, she had been waiting tables at Granny’s. Granny and her granddaughter Ruby had gone all out for Christmas like they did every year. The place was heavily decorated - the bar was lined with garlands decorated with Christmas ornaments, fake snow had been sprayed on the windows, a fake Christmas tree placed in the back, and Granny, her employer, had even sacrificed one of the booths to create a tacky Christmas village with moving figures. Of course, the jukebox only featured the lamest Christmas songs these weeks. It was all really over the top but festive at the same time, and Emma often found herself humming along with the Christmas songs. Both her and Ruby, who tended the bar today, wore Santa dresses - a little too short to Emma’s liking but completely Ruby’s style, she had told her before - and to top it all off, she’d gotten two red and one green-colored hair extension tied in her messy blonde curls. It had been Ruby’s idea and Emma didn’t really mind.

Waiting tables wasn’t the best job out there, but it was the best one she’d ever had and around Christmas, when people were happier and thus tips were bigger, she loved her job even more. She didn’t mind working a couple of extra shifts. Sure, there were people who came to Granny’s already heavily drunk from their Christmas party at work, but Emma was quite adept at either telling them off or throwing them out. It’s what a life in the foster system and on the streets did to you - it made you street smart and quite a fighter. Literally and figuratively. 

Her boyfriend, Killian, had been at Granny’s as well. He too had been celebrating the almost-start of the holidays with his mates. She didn’t care much for his friends-slash-employees, they were rude assholes and she had to tell them off most of the time. It was no wonder that most of them couldn’t hold a girlfriend for more than a couple of days, she often told both herself and Ruby. And them, if they pissed her off enough. But it was nice to have Killian there, and she’d served them with an extra spring in her step.

Killian was the best boyfriend she’d ever had. Not that she’d had many, because her stand-offish attitude usually chased everyone away. And she’d tried to get him to run, as well. When they’d met, she had been distrustful, wary of his intentions. His cocky behavior was something she’d severely disliked - people like that always ended up betraying you. But he had been persistent in wooing her, in winning her over. He had bought her gifts. Flowers. Clothes. Took her out on dates. She’d never met someone who was so adamant about being with her. And slowly but gradually, she’d come to appreciate his confident, lively demeanor. And when she had to leave her one-room apartment because the building was going to be torn down, he had offered to co-sign the lease for her very first apartment. It wasn’t something she’d wanted to agree with immediately because it meant giving up her freedom - or at least it felt that way - but they had been dating for a while already, he’d said, and he traveled a lot for work so he wouldn’t be around all the time if she needed space, and he said he’d love to have a base here in the city, plant some roots, as well. Finally, she’d given in. He had a way of making her give in, but she had to admit, it was really nice to be taken care of for once, instead of having to fend for herself all the time.

And this year it would become even better. Killian had invited her to celebrate Christmas with his family. The family owned a shipping company together and he’d told her they rarely saw each other. Either Killian was out at sea or Liam was, he said, if he wasn’t busy with one of the other companies he was trying to start up. But at Christmas, they’d be together. And she’d never been happier when he had invited her to their family Christmas dinner. She’d even let that asshole pull her onto his lap for a public kiss, which had earned her a disapproving look from Granny in the process. She snorted. Her employer had always told her she was too good for Hook - a nickname the older woman had long ago given him because he resembled a pirate so much. 

And then, when she was bringing Killian and his loser friends the next round, she had asked him what she should bring to the Christmas dinner next week. 

He had scoffed and had rolled his eyes to his mates, who had snickered under their breaths before he had smirked up at her. “Look, love, I’m sorry, but it’s not going to happen.” 

Emma had blinked in confusion, shook her head because she didn’t understand. “But you invited me,” she replied in disbelief, face pulled in a frown. She hated when he got this way. Sometimes it was like he was two different people - one caring when he was with her, an idiot when his friends were around.

“Maybe next year,” he said, smirking around the table, trying to get his mates to laugh. But they didn’t - she vaguely noticed the others were silent now as they awaited her response.

“But you said…” Her voice died when she heard one of his friends snort and after she gave him a dark stare to shut him up before she turned back to Killian. “So, I’m good enough to take to your bedroom but I’m not good enough to take home to your family?” she snapped. 

Now, two others couldn’t suppress their chuckles and she stared them down over the table. But Killian was not impressed. “I’ll send a car for you after work to pick you up, all right love? Now, be a good girl and get me another rum.” 

He had lied to her. She still couldn’t understand how he could’ve been so cruel. It had never been his intention to introduce her to his family. She gritted her teeth. For an orphan girl like her, Christmas had never really meant much. She’d bounced from group home to foster parents and back. If she was lucky, there was a gift for her under a Christmas tree. But more often than not, Christmas had been a deception. She’d lost faith in Santa and the magic of Christmas long before other kids had. 

But this year, she’d had something to look forward to. A real Christmas with a real family where she could be a part of. Her eyes had wandered back to Killian who was showing off to his friends, smiling smugly as if he’d won a small victory.  _ Asshole.  _ Frustration and anger boiled up inside her and she grabbed the nearest drink. “You can finish this one, you asshole,” she snapped and threw the drink in his face. He jumped up in shock while the rum dripped off him in small rivulets and gasped as she whirled around and stormed off to the bar. So much for her good cards in life. The house she’d built with it had just collapsed.

Tears had stung behind her eyes as she had heard the sounds of laughter coming from Killian’s table. She heaved in fresh oxygen while curling her fingers around the counter and squeezed, trying to get her emotions under control by focusing on the pain she felt in her hands. 

And then, she’d seen  _ her _ .

A car honked behind them, and Emma blinked a few times, pulled from her thoughts when she heard the brunette next to her mutter a few curses under her breath. She tilted her head to observe the woman in whose car she was sitting. She seemed to be as unhappy with this arrangement as she was. 

She looked exactly like when they first met, when she’d sat at the end of the bar staring at her. But  _ exactly  _ exactly, down to the very expensive-looking suit. The brunette was approximately her size - a little smaller - her dark brown hair, neatly coiffed, which framed her face, brushing her shoulders. Straight nose, plump dark lips, and dark brown eyes matching the color of her hair - she hadn’t seen that when the woman was in the bar, but she had seen it later. She’d looked way too good for Granny’s and completely out of place at the diner.

Emma turned back to the window. It had started to grow dark, she saw. Reminiscing the past two days had made her caught up in her own head. She hadn’t even seen the change of scenery - they’d left the city behind them. Trees and fields and mostly empty asphalt stretched out in front of them. She could care less, and sunk back into her thoughts.

After Killian’s betrayal, Ruby had told her to go home, and Emma had gladly accepted that offer. She’d only wanted to wallow in her self-pity, crawl under her blankets and cry her eyes out. 

She had left the bar soon after and walked home, making plans to barricade the apartment door so Killian could stay at one of his loser friends’ places. Oh, maybe he’d try to get a room at Granny’s. Too bad she wasn’t there to see him try - Granny hadn’t looked too happy when she left. 

She didn’t live very far from the bar so she usually walked, but it was colder than she had anticipated. Shivering, she pulled her red pleather jacket closer to her body while the wind tousled her blonde curls. She’d gotten rid of her stockings because it was too hot inside, but she’d forgotten to bring them. But she wasn’t going back for them. She had  _ some _ pride left.

A soft sound behind her made her jump and she realized it was late, long after sunset, and dark. Her heart rate picked up a little as she quickened her pace. “Excuse me,” a low, rich voice called out to her and she sped up a little more.

“Excuse me,” she heard again, more urgent this time. Whirling around, she dropped her bag and lifted her fists in an attack position. 

“Back off,” she snapped at the woman behind her, “Or I’ll kick your sorry ass.” 

The brunette raised her hands as well as her eyebrows, showing her an ID. “Agent Mills, FBI,” she introduced herself. And once she’d overcome her shock, Emma eyed her warily. The woman from the bar. “I just want to talk to you,” Agent Mills continued.

“About what?” Hostility dripped from her tone. Her run-ins with the police - more than she’d liked - had left her with a guarded attitude towards law enforcement. But Agent Mills didn’t seem very impressed - she was probably used to it.

“About Killian Jones.” 

“What about him?”

“We believe he’s swindled a lot of people.”

“Yeah, including me ,” Emma replied, turning around, done with the conversation. She started to walk away.

“Old people. Families. All their money is gone, they have nothing left.” She heard the heels of the woman click behind her. “Whole communities destitute,” the agent continued. “Families ripped apart.” 

Families. Emma stopped walking. Turned around to face the brunette, who had stopped at a safe distance from her. 

“What do you want from me?” Emma snapped. 

“I need your help,” the woman said. It wasn’t a plea. It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. Agent Mills held her gaze and Emma found herself unable to look away, albeit with a guarded frown on her face, jacket still firmly pulled together. She sized up the woman in front of her. Tried to decide whether to talk to her or not. 

But Killian’s betrayal was stronger than his need to defend him right now. She was hurt. And she wanted to hurt him back.

“Emma Swan,” she finally said. 

The woman smiled. “I am Regina Mills,” she said, extending her hand. Emma shook it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Regina added. It made Emma snort. Yeah, right. The woman in front of her raised an amused eyebrow before she gestured into the direction Emma had been walking into. She oozed natural leadership that made Emma comply immediately - something that irritated her at the same time. 

“Let’s get you out of this cold first,” she answered, “And then we’ll talk.”

And they had talked, after Agent Mills had brought her to her office. For hours. Because, Emma had thought, it had been exhilarating to spill Killian’s dirty little secrets. She was hurt. He knew about her past, knew how hard it was for her to trust someone, how much she had been looking forward to having a _ real _ Christmas, and he had shattered all of it in a fucking bar, in front of all his sorry excuses of deranged friends. 

And her information was good enough that both Killian and his brother were rounded up by the FBI the next day, for fraud all around the country. She wasn’t stupid. She’d overheard many conversations on the phone between him and his brother, him and his companions, about offshore accounts, different bank accounts. She knew he was into some shady business. At that moment, she could care less. Being able to rant about him had been exhilarating, but when her anger had subsided, she’d felt a little guilty and both Mills and her boss, Neal Cassidy, had picked up on that. 

And because Jones was most certainly going to make bail and both Agent Mills and Neal Cassidy had been sure that he would come to seek her out - to either talk her out of testifying after Christmas or worse, Cassidy had told his agent to take Emma out of town for a couple of days. She was their key witness, a position she had tried to wiggle out of once she fully understood what they were asking of her, but Cassidy had easily said that they could also force her to. “You knew all this and didn’t step forward,” he had told her. “You accepted his gifts, spent his money. If you don’t comply, we can easily accuse you as an accessory of his crimes.” Another day, another asshole.

So here she was, Emma lamented. On her way to a hotel to spend Christmas in the middle of fucking nowhere with a woman who’d dragged her into this mess and who, from the looks of it, hated Christmas as much as she did because she, too, didn’t have any Christmas plans.

They passed a gas station, the bright and colorful Christmas decorations of the place taunting her.

Ho-fucking-ho. 

She sighed deeply and pressed her lips firmly together, leaning her head against the window.

~*~

Regina Mills briefly looked aside when she heard a deep sigh, before turning her eyes back at the road. It actually surprised her that the blonde hadn’t said anything since they had left Emma’s apartment, where they had gone to pack a bag for the weekend. Emma had switched her tiny Santa-dress for ridiculously tight jeans with tears - she didn’t know if these were the fashionable ones or if the jeans were worn down completely, a tank top that showed much of her cleavage, and her horrifying red leather jacket - Regina was sure that it was fake. The girl had red and green colored extensions in her messy blond hair, which she’d put up in a loose ponytail. 

And she silently cursed her boss that she had been forced to take Emma to a hotel out of town. Emma Swan was not her type of person to hang out with. By far. Because she had shadowed Jones for so long, she had also seen a lot of the Swan girl. She was too loud, too theatrical, too self-involved, too present, too… far off from her own standards. Maybe Regina was a little prejudiced, but she’d worked with people like Emma Swan before. She knew her kind.

Emma’s life story had been the same as many other informants she’d worked with. Regina had investigated her as a part of her ongoing investigation on Jones - she knew all about her history, even the sealed youth records. Emma never had anything, not even a compliment, until she met Killian Jones. Who ignored her completely, which she was used to. So it was comfortable. But sometimes he would give her attention and presents, which she confused with love. The girl was totally at his mercy. It  _ was _ smart to get her out of town so Jones couldn’t convince her to change her mind - she just didn’t know why it had to be  _ her _ who needed to take her.

Emma might be more street-smart than the average backward neighborhood waitress, but she was still just that, Cassidy had said when she had tried to talk him out of it. “And I need one of my best to keep her out of the spotlights and into the witness stand unharmed, without someone around that can un-convince her from testifying. And I don’t have to tell you that everything depends on her testimony.”

Her boss was right. And she had finally given in.

Rain started to fall on the windshield and Regina turned on the wipers. A muscle in her jaw tensed. Sure, one of his best. Probably because she was one of the very few who had volunteered to work during Christmas. She’d hoped to get the pile of paperwork done that had resulted from this case, but apparently, she was demoted to the position of a glorified babysitter.

She was also a little cranky because her father had called her, just before they had left to pick up Emma’s stuff. Her father had probably seen the news of Jones’ arrest, she had thought when she had picked up the phone.

“Hello, daddy,” she had answered softly, a smile lining her mouth.

“Guess who I saw on television,” he said, and she chuckled. 

“Ah, you saw it?”

“Of course I did, sweetheart. And I am so proud.” Then, there’d been a small pause. “Tell me, dear, when will you come over for Christmas?”

There it was, the talk that Regina had been dreading. Regina sighed. “I’m not coming home for Christmas, daddy,” she softly said. “I already told you, remember? I have to work.” 

“But you said last year that this year you would be here.” Disappointment lined his voice and Regina closed her eyes when she let the guilt wash over her.

“I really have to work.”    
  
The silence on the other side was deafening and it was eating on her insides. “I’m sorry, daddy,” Regina said quietly, “I… I’ll call you soon, all right? I have to go.” She had ended the call soon after that, staring at her phone. 

This time, it was Regina who let out a soft sigh, while her fingers tightened around the steering wheel. She loved her father so, so much. It was her mother with whom she had a problem. Her mother was the reason she wasn’t going home. She hated to disappoint him, but she was not going to subject herself to three days of hearing how bad her choices in life were, what a disgrace to the family she’d become. And her mother would surely try to pit her against her older sister, who had tried to live up to her mother’s standards by picking the career path Cora Mills had set out for Regina.

Her eyes flicked to Emma, for a short second, as she remembered Neal’s wink when he’d said: “Hey, at least you’ll get to go to a hotel with a pretty girl for the weekend.” 

“Not my type,” Regina had countered, “not even close.” She shook her head. 

This was going to be a long weekend.

“If I annoy you so much, you can as well take me back,” Emma suddenly said, a sharpness in her voice. “All you’ve been doing is looking disapprovingly. Killian won’t hurt me and I definitely don’t need a babysitter.”   
  
“Unfortunately for you and me both, my boss thinks you do,” Regina answered tightly. “Jones will try to convince you-”

“You know, I’m tired of people talking about me as if I don’t exist. I know what he’ll try to do,” Emma snapped. “But I-”

“With all due respect, Miss Swan,” Regina interrupted her rant, “I’ve been tracking Killian Jones for almost three years. I know almost all there is to know about him - some of which I’d rather forget -”

“Shouldn’t you be going to your  _ family _ for Christmas anyway?” Emma spat.

“I’m usually working,” Regina replied curtly.

Emma snorted. “So you'd rather spend your Christmas with scumbags and waitresses?” Emma eyes her with a frown, disbelief in her gaze.

“I suppose so, yes.” 

“Well, what a family you must have, then,” Emma retorted and Regina huffed. She couldn’t let the girl under her skin like that, but the comment riled her up. It wasn’t as if Emma was wrong, but it irritated her to hear it from her. She tensed up again - a nasty headache was starting to pound in her forehead and she hoped to God she wasn’t developing a migraine.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Emma moving forward and flip on the radio.

“Please leave that alone,” Regina told her, before turning the radio off again. Exasperated, Emma rolled her eyes.

“You’re really no fun, are you?” Emma said. “So because you’re no fun, that means that I shouldn’t have it either?” 

“Your words, not mine,” Regina answered evenly, eyes on the road. Emma sighed and stared ahead.

“Do you think Killian’s out of jail by now?” she asked after a couple of seconds of heavy silence.

“To be honest,” Regina replied in a matter-of-fact tone, “I don’t think he spent a second in there. His lawyers probably waited on the steps.”

Emma closed her eyes. “Man, that’s so unfair,” she muttered and it drew a smile from Regina. Yes, she agreed in silence, some things were completely unfair.

She opened her mouth to retort when she heard the familiar tune coming from her cellphone. Her father, she knew, because he was the only one with a different tune. The only one she would always pick up.

Emma looked at her intently. “I’m going to answer this,” Regina told her, “And you’re going to be real quiet, all right?” 

Emma shrugged. She could care less, probably, Regina thought. 

“Daddy?” Regina said after accepting the call through the car kit.

“Regina, sweetheart. Something’s happened to your mother,” an older male voice entered through the speakers of the car. He sounded distressed, and it immediately worried Regina and she felt her hands growing clammy in response.

“What?”   


“She had a heart attack,” the man continued, voice wavering.

“When?” Regina demanded, eyes wide. 

“A few hours ago.”    
  
Regina’s eyes flew to Emma, who’d been listening to the short conversations. Emma looked back, eyes wide as well, and had sat straight up when she’d heard the news. Regina’s history with her mother had always been enormously problematic and intense, but in the end, it was still her mother. Deep down, she still loved her. And the idea of her being on the verge of passing from this world distressed her so much that she could hardly make a coherent sentence.

“Can you get here as soon as you can?” her father urged.

“I- I….” Regina stuttered, falling silent again, and then, Emma leaned over. “Yes, yes she can,” she yelled. 

There was a silence in the car. Emma pursed her lips together. If looks could kill, she’d probably died right that instant. 

“Regina, sweetheart, is there someone in the car with you?”   
  
“Not for much longer,” Regina said, glaring at her passenger, emotions of worry, anger, anxiety flashing over her face.

“No, no. Bring your girlfriend. She’s very welcome here, you know that.” 

“Daddy, no, it’s not-”   
  
“We’ll be there in a couple of hours, Mister Mills,” Emma replied instead, earning her another deadly glare.

“Please hurry,” the man said. “No matter what’s happened between you and your mother, Regina, you must know that she loves you. I don’t know how much time…” His voice faltered, and Regina was quick to reassure him. 

"We will come right away,” she told him before she broke the connection and her head snapped to Emma so fast that it was a surprise she didn’t snap her neck.

“What-the-HELL-were you thinking? I specifically told you-”    
  
“Your mother is fucking dying, Regina,” Emma snapped back. She couldn’t believe that Regina would be petty about her interfering in the call when the brunette couldn’t say a word. 

“We don’t know yet if she’s dying,” she snapped, trying to control her accelerated breath. “All right, all right. We will go to my parent’s place, check on her, and then we’ll leave.” 

“Why don’t you check me into the hotel first closeby?”   
  
“No. You’re my responsibility,” Regina growled. “You’re coming with me.” 

Emma eyed her warily. And after a moment of silence, she asked, “You’re  _ really  _ taking me to meet your parents? How are you going to explain me?” 

“Well, Miss Swan,” Regina replied through clenched teeth. She was sworn to secrecy, had to hide the bundle of joy sitting next to her, and couldn’t tell her father she’d brought home a case. So Emma was not going to like what she was going to say next. “Since my father already pulled some conclusions on his own, you’re going to have to pretend to be my girlfriend.” 

Emma recoiled in her seat. “Wait, what? I just assumed he meant girl-friend. A friend that is a girl. I- I mean, you’re gay?” She stuttered and looked at Regina, bewildered. “I mean, it’s totally fine if you are, I didn’t mean to -  _ are _ you?” She eyed Regina suspiciously.

“Can you please stop talking? Yes, Miss Swan, as you so eloquently put it, I am gay and my family knows, which is one of the reasons my mother and I don’t really get along,” Regina snapped as she switched lanes. She’d planked the gas pedal and they were swiftly passing other cars, probably on their way home for Christmas as well.

“But I.. I… I don’t know how to be a girlfriend,” Emma cried out, “I never was one. I never  _ had _ one! I’ve never been even remotely attracted to women. Not that you’re not attractive,” she hastily added, “Because you are, but…” Her voice faltered.

Regina rolled her eyes and sighed, ran a hand through her hair. “Okay. New plan. We’ll tell them we just started dating. You know how to do dates now, don't you, Miss Swan? That way we can also explain that we know nothing about each other’s personal lives just yet.” 

Emma’s breath had sped up. “We can also just tell them that I am a waitress that you have to protect.” 

Regina snorted. “No, we can’t. You’re a witness that I need to hide from prying eyes. My boss explicitly told me that nobody can know where you are except me.” Her eyes flicked to the passenger seat, and she scoffed. “Besides, my dear father, heartfelt romantic as he is, already made his own conclusions so now probably everyone knows about you. If they’d caught your name, you’d be googled silly by now.” 

“Oh. Wow. They really care for you, huh?” Emma said, after she let it sink in for a couple of seconds. Regina rolled her eyes - it was barely visible in the shadows of the car, but the brunette had a way of rolling her eyes so hard that you could probably see it when it was completely dark.

“Storybrooke, Maine, where we’re going, is a quaint, stuck up little town where nothing ever is happening. One of the few gays coming home for Christmas with a girlfriend is probably news they’d put on the front page if they could.” She sighed impatiently. “Hopefully, my mother’s condition will divert my father from too much inquiry.”

“You’re so not my type,” Emma muttered and for some reason, that remark annoyed Regina to her very core.    
  
“Obnoxious loudmouthed waitresses aren’t my type either,” she snapped back.

“Whatever,” Emma spat back, voice raised. 

“You have to  _ promise _ to behave appropriately.” Regina’s tone was urgent now. A tight hand seemed to have taken a hold of her heart and it squeezed softly. If this was the last time she was going to see her mother… she couldn’t even think about that. Was it too late to make amends? To try and come closer? Regina swallowed, her eyes flicked to Emma. “Please,” she said, quieter.

Now, it was Emma’s turn to roll her eyes. “Yeah, sure. No problem.” The blonde sunk back into the chair, arms folded.   
  
Regina’s hands tightened around the steering wheel and she stepped on the gas. 


	2. Chapter 2

Emma didn’t know she’d fallen asleep until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open. “We’re here,” Regina said as she blearily blinked the sleep out of her eyes.

And then she blinked again. Squeezed her eyes shut before opening them, eyes bulging at the building in front of her.

Her stomach dropped. “Holy fucking shit,” she said then, eyes wide, sleep all but forgotten. “You’re kidding me, right?” 

Regina had parked her car at a large driveway. A two-story white-plastered mansion filled her entire vision. It was immense - holy crap, it even had  _ wings _ . All of the windows on both the first and the second floor were lined with Christmas light, as was the roof. The pillars - the house had fucking roman pillars - were decorated with garlands, as were all the windows on the first floor. The pine trees in the massive garden were also infested with lights. The large double front door had two massive Christmas wreaths hanging on them, which seemed impossible to lift by just one person. And everything was covered with a very thin layer of melting snow.

Regina sighed and rolled her eyes as she reached for the handle to open her door.

“No, really,” Emma cried out in horror, “are you  _ fucking _ kidding me?!” This house looked like one you’d only see in those super-cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies. 

“Language, Miss Swan,” Regina scolded her absentmindedly and when Emma turned to glare at her, she noticed the uneasiness on the brunette’s face. 

“Well, now I at least know why you disapprove of me. You’re filthy rich, lady.” She hadn’t meant to, but it sounded like an accusation.

“I’m not. My parents are.” But Emma never missed that Regina didn’t say anything about her disapproval. And it annoyed the crap out of her.

“Tell that to your fucking expensive suits.” 

“I work for my own money, Miss Swan,” Regina snapped.

Emma’s eyes flashed angrily. “And you’re implying that I don’t?” she barked back. This woman called  _ her _ obnoxious? Well, maybe she should take a long fucking look in the mirror. But before she could voice any of it, one of the doors swung open and Regina threw her own car door open as well, leaving Emma, who was still bristling, behind. 

Her father hurried outside and with a few large steps, Regina reached him. He enveloped her into a hug and Emma just watched them, her heart squeezing painfully. She couldn’t understand how Regina would give any of this up. She had a loving father, a well-off family - sure, she knew that money wasn’t everything, but it was really helpful at best. Especially for someone who’d never had much of it.

She swallowed hard and she saw how Regina’s father lifted his head, stared at the car. Her cue, probably, Emma sighed, and she reluctantly opened the door, swung her feet outside, and grabbed her duffel bag. 

She cringed when her feet hit the ground. Great. Her thin sneakers were hardly capable of keeping the snow out - she felt how her socks wet instantly. “Hi,” she said reluctantly. The man raised his eyebrows in much the same way Regina could - they were definitely related - and let his eyes wander over her, taking in her appearance. “Well,” he said in a neutral tone, “Welcome, miss…?”    


“Swan,” Emma said. “Emma Swan.” She took a few steps forward and stretched out her hand, which he took without any hesitation. His grip was warm and firm. 

“You’re the girl I heard in the car,” he said. It wasn’t a question, but she nodded anyway and when he let go of her hand, she shivered. 

“Yeah. Can we maybe get inside? I’m freezing,” she said, still upset with what Regina  _ hadn’t  _ told her. 

“I bet you are,” Mister Mills muttered, eyes traveling over Emma’s appearance. “Please excuse my manners,” he said, stepping aside and Emma, thankful for the warmth that came radiating from the house, sped inside. “I’m just a little… shocked,” she heard behind her.

Yeah, she could think why, she thought, rolling her eyes. She wasn’t really prepared for a millionaire’s family in fucking Storybrooke, Maine. She didn’t belong here, but if she’d have to choose between a wealthy, bad-mannered family and staying outdoors, she’d pick the first. She wasn’t stupid. Besides, they probably weren’t going to stay long anyway.

But when she left the hall and entered the living room, the picture in front of her took her breath away - it made her drop her duffel bag. On her left was a fireplace, where a fire was crackling almost happily. In front of the window stood a huge, perfectly symmetric Christmas Tree, a lot of presents stashed underneath. The room was tastefully decorated with a couple of lights, candles, and small Christmas decorations. It was a picture-perfect Christmas-y living room. It wouldn’t have surprised Emma if it had been used in a Christmas magazine to show off or to inspire others how to do it. Or hell, an image on a Christmas card.

“Regina’s never brought a girl home before,” she heard Mister Mills behind her. “And she told us she had to work over Christmas.”   
  
“Really?” Emma muttered automatically, used to make small talk because of her work, “It’s not nice to lie to your folks, Gina.” She turned to throw another accusing glare into Regina’s rejection.

“How’s mother?” Regina interrupted, sending an irritated glance to Emma. Emma shrugged it off. 

“Who wants tea?” the man said chipperly instead, and he led them to an enormous kitchen with a gigantic kitchen island. Emma had never felt this out of place before. This kitchen was as large as her own living room  _ including _ her kitchen. Her eyes wandered around - even the fucking kitchen was heavily decorated and it had a TV  _ and _ a large dining table and she wondered how it could still look so tasteful. 

She folded her arms in front of her chest and her own jacket and simple tank top drew her attention. Her stomach dropped as she silently went over all the things she’d quickly packed. More ripped jeans, because she normally felt comfortable in those. A few blouses which were okay, if you buttoned them up enough. She’d even thrown in two miniskirts just to piss Regina off, who’d already commented on how cold she was going to be when she saw her jeans.

Well, shit.

“Daddy? Where’s mother?” Regina urged again, a worried look on her face.

“Your mother is upstairs, asleep. Here, tea.” He handed them both a cup and Emma saw how Regina’s forehead crinkled. Her eyes flew back to Henry, and she knew - Emma knew the lie he had told them to get them to come here. Because not only could Emma hold her own, she was also gifted with what she’d like to call her superpower: she could always tell a lie. She blinked, didn’t really know what to make of it.

“Wait- mother’s home already?” Regina, who hadn’t quite caught up with the lie yet, said with wide eyes. “How-”

“Your mother’s fine, sweetheart.” Henry patted his daughter’s arm and turned his curious eyes to Emma, who was fidgeting with her fingers before he handed her a cup of her own. “Now, tell me, dear, what do you do for a living?”    
  
“I’m a waitress, Mister Mills,” Emma responded, slightly raising her chin as if she was challenging him to make a comment about it. “I work in a diner that pretends to be a cocktail bar around Christmas.” If that didn’t send him running, she didn’t know what would. But he didn’t, he just nodded politely. She tilted her head and observed the man in front of her. He smiled at her. 

“Please, just call me Henry.” It threw her off her balance. She’d thought he would be snobbish, uptight, and would treat her with the same disapproval as his daughter had, but there was nothing but warmth and kindness in his brown eyes. Eyes so similar to Regina’s -- well. In shape and size. The permanent glance of disapproval she probably had from her mother.

“Daddy? What do you mean, mother’s fine?” Regina interrupted again, simultaneously drawing the attention away from Emma. 

Now, the man turned to his daughter. “I lied to you,” Henry said. “I just wanted you home for Christmas.” 

A few seconds passed. Emma had never seen someone so stunned in bewilderment.

“You lied?” Regina cried out.

“You deserved it,” her father deadpanned. “And once I had determined that, it was really quite easy.” There was a smug look on his face. Emma’s eyes drifted from him to Regina, who looked as if she was ready to explode.   
  
“That’s it. We’re out of here. Come on, Emma, we’re leaving.” 

Emma didn’t know if she was disappointed or relieved by Regina saying that, but Henry wasn’t done yet.

“All right. But make sure to say goodbye to your mother, your sister, and brother in law. And Robyn, of course.” He turned his head. “That’s Regina’s niece, Emma,” he told her directly and she automatically nodded, but he’d already turned his head back to face his daughter, who was pulling on her coat again. “And of course, your mother. It had meant so much to her that you were coming home for Christmas after all these years.”

Despite the man’s guilt-tripping, Emma could see the true reason behind it. There was a longing in his voice that Emma recognized. It was what she had felt, too, before Killian had brutally crossed out their Christmas plans. Hope for a family Christmas. 

And Emma knew this wasn’t her family, knew she had no right, but for once,  _ once _ she wanted to be a part of a normal Christmas with a tree and family and presents, even if it wasn’t her own family. Henry was a kind man who’d made her feel… well, maybe not at home because this home was way out of her comfort zone, but at least he’d treated her like a real person.

“Can’t we stay?” she asked Regina softly while taking a step closer to her. Of course, Henry latched onto that. 

“See? Emma wants to stay.” 

She shot a weak smile in his direction before receiving an angry glare from the woman who stiffly pulled her coat on. 

“I can show you up to your room?” Henry offered.

“No,” Regina snapped. “We’re not staying. And you - you owe me an apology.” 

“I’m sorry,” he immediately replied. They all knew he wasn’t sorry at all. Then, he took the cup from Emma’s hands and held out a hand. “Right this way, Emma,” he said before he moved past her and led the way up the stairs.

Emma followed. This had been a fine example of cunning manipulation. She knew it. Regina, who huffed angrily but followed, knew it. She walked up the stairs quietly, her duffel bag in her hands, feeling Regina’s angry eyes boring holes in her back. Well, tough luck. At least they would spend one night in a homey - a very expensive, but still homey - surrounding.

The man led them to a bedroom and he opened the door. Emma walked in when he nodded. She saw the dresser, the large white bed, a lot of posters. Spice Girls, she saw, amused. But also a poster screaming  _ Save the Trees.  _ On the shelves stood a few trophies and a few rosettes hung on her wall. A horse girl. And if she had to believe all those prizes, a very good rider as well. “A museum of ancient Regina,” she muttered to herself, almost forgetting Henry behind her, but he hummed and she turned around.

“Yes. We haven’t changed anything since she left home,” he informed her before Regina stumbled in after them. Emma pulled up a corner as she momentarily pictured a young Regina, sitting at her dressing table. Preparing for whatever day. But Regina glared back, eyes narrowed. “I am moving my things in the guest room,” she informed them. 

Emma felt a blush creep to her cheeks. She hadn’t even thought about that, but she nodded quickly in agreement.

“Nonsense,” Henry said. “Why bother? Why pretend that you’re not sleeping together? These are modern times.” He quickly turned and went for the door, a little flustered with the situation. Wait, he was flustered? Emma was nearly dying of embarrassment. A strange, anxious feeling settled in her lower belly as the man left. 

Her eyes slowly moved back to Regina, who still looked rather aggravated. “We leave tomorrow morning,” she snapped. Emma shrugged. Fine. 

“So, if you give me some blankets, I’ll take the floor,” she offered, eyeing the rug next to the bed. It looked comfortable enough. She’d slept on worse.

“Don’t be an idiot,” Regina grumbled while turning to the closet. “You take the bed. I have a thin mattress underneath the bed which I’ll sleep on.” She pulled out two sleeping shirts and threw one of them into Emma’s direction. “The bathroom’s over there. I’ll go change there. You do it here.” And not even awaiting a response, she marched into the bathroom and threw the door close.

Emma shrugged. Fine. If Regina wanted a sore back, she wasn’t going to complain. Quickly, she undressed and shot on the sleeping shirt. It was an oversized t-shirt, she noticed, reaching just past her ass. It had a picture of two horses on it. Emma smirked.

When Regina was done, Emma slipped into the bathroom and found an unopened toothbrush, which she used. She stared at her own reflection while brushing. Wild, messy curls streaked with red and green. Pale cheeks. Huge eyes from anxiety. She shook her head. Part of her really wanted to stay here for Christmas. And Regina really wanted to leave. Well. If they would leave, she had at least spent the night in a house that looked like it had straight come out of a Christmas movie set. She smirked at herself, spit out the toothpaste, finished up, and returned to the bedroom.

Regina, meanwhile, was making her bed on the floor, trying not to throw a glance into Emma’s direction when Emma walked past her and slipped under the thick duvet draped over the gigantic box spring. She should have given Emma pants, too, she thought. Forcing her eyes on her own improvised bed, she sighed.

“You shouldn’t have told my father you were a waitress,” she said, tucking in her own blankets. Her father hadn’t said anything and she could hardly blame him, but she knew this was a subject that would be brought up at a later time. Her father was a kind man, but a curious one as well. He probably wouldn’t mean any harm, but her mother or even her sister or brother-in-law would tear her apart. Emma had no idea who she was dealing with.

“Why? It’s the best job I ever had,” Emma countered. “It beats cleaning houses and shifts in a cookie factory by far.” She leaned up on one elbow, raised her brows. “I’m not ashamed of it, so why the hell would you?”

“It would’ve been easier, that’s all,” Regina replied, slipping under her own blankets.

“Easier? Like not telling me that you come from all this money? That was easier too, wasn’t it?” The hostile tone had returned to Emma’s voice and Regina found it surprising that she disliked it so much. She shouldn’t even care about any of it. And yet, she realized it was important that Emma… wasn’t so aggravated with her. It puzzled her because at the same time she kind of liked getting a fiery response from the blonde.

“Money is meaningless,” she countered.

“To you, maybe. But if I had this? God, it would’ve completely changed my life.” Emma’s eyes wandered through the room before settling on Regina’s face. “It’s easy to say that money doesn’t mean anything, it doesn’t make you happy, if you have so much of it. I’d never be where I am now if I hadn’t needed to worry about money. Ironically enough, I wouldn’t even be in your super-expensive birth home if I had money myself.”

Regina looks away from Emma’s face. She’s right, but Regina can’t admit it. She hears Emma sigh softly.

“Regina?”

“Hm?” Regina fidgeted with her blankets, smoothing out the creases.

“Killian would never suspect I was here in the first place.” 

Regina stilled her movements. To her surprise, she hadn’t thought much about Killian in the last couple of hours. Her mind was set on her mother and... Emma. And that thought worried her. “It would be complicated to stay,” she finally said slowly. It wasn’t a surprise to her that Emma wanted to stay. She’d seen Emma’s longing eyes in the living room, the kitchen. When Henry tried to persuade Regina to stay. 

“But?” The blonde’s voice sounded tentative but hopeful.

But yes, it would be the perfect spot to hide. Regina sighed deeply, trying to weigh the pros and cons. A definite con would be her mother. “If we do this,” she started and she already saw Emma’s eyes light up, “you’re bound to meet my mother. And if you do, there are certain subjects you cannot talk about with her.” Emma tilted her head, paying attention. Regina inhaled and summed up, “Politics, taxes, world hunger, the environment, affirmative action, welfare, stock markets, real estate, and me. Definitely don’t talk to her about me.” 

Emma smirked. “So, basically, avoid her at all cost?”   
  
“As much as you can,” Regina confirmed.

“So, was your mom a lawyer or something?”

“Judge. My sister Zelena became the lawyer I was supposed to become and my mother hasn’t gotten over that particular defiance of mine. Zelena’s husband Walsh is a child psychologist. Their daughter Robyn… well.’ She smiled fondly. “She’s great.”

“Oh,” Emma smiled back, “I love kids.”

“Stay away from her,” Regina sharply countered.   
  
Emma almost pouted. The frown on her face was almost endearing. “Why?”

“Because you will probably say the wrong thing.” The less Emma would say, the better chances they had to come out of it unscathed. But the frown on Emma’s face made her realize her words had been pretty harsh. “I mean… Robyn’s sweet. I don’t want her to get her hopes up.”

A silence fell between them.

“Well,” Emma started slowly, “If I promise all that… can we stay?”

Regina sought for loopholes in her plans but couldn’t really find any if Emma were to stick to her word, and she sighed deeply. “I suppose, if you promise, we can.” 

She didn’t miss the happy smile on Emma’s face as the blonde leaned back into the pillows and she couldn’t get herself to say anything else. And when Emma leaned over to the nightstand to turn the light off, they both stared at the glow-in-the-dark stars still stuck to the ceiling. Regina sighed. 

This was probably a very, very big mistake.   


  
~*~   


  
The next morning she woke up with a back that was killing her. Wincing, she pushed herself up, blinking against the sunlight - until her eyes fell on the empty bed. “Emma?” she called out with a worried voice. Where the hell was Emma? Her eyes flew through the room - Emma’s duffel bag had been turned upside down. She was still around but -- oh dear God, her family’s breakfast.

“Damn it,” she cursed as she quickly slipped on her pants and blouse - where the hell were her socks - and then, she launched herself out of the bedroom, hopping on one leg to pull her shoe on. She could hear the voices coming from the kitchen - no, she could hear  _ Emma’s _ voice above the others -  _ fuck - _ and she rushed towards the kitchen at the moment she heard her sister Zelena ask: “And how did you and Regina meet?” 

Automatically, she stopped walking and remained standing in the doorway.

“Well,” Emma said vaguely, “I was waitressing in the diner, Regina was… agent-ing, and that’s how we met.” Her eyes skipped around the table. Regina saw that everyone was up already. Her mother Cora eyed Emma like something that you’d have to scrape off from your shoe and it aggravated her immediately. She breathed in deeply and walked towards the table. 

“Oh, really?” Zelena inquired. She leaned forward, placed her chin on her hands. “Was she on a case?” Her eyes started to shimmer. 

“Well,” Emma answered pointedly and stared straight back, “I don’t know if I’m allowed to talk about that, actually. But I can tell you that your sister is a very good… investigator.” She raised her chin and winked at Zelena with a lopsided smirk, daring her to say anything. The insinuation wasn’t missed by either Regina, Zelena or Walsh, who scraped his throat and folded his newspaper. Regina blinked as she saw the faint blush on her brother-in-law’s cheek when Emma leaned back in her chair, chin raised stubbornly.

“Interesting,” Zelena smirked, not put off at all.

“Look who finally got up,” Walsh said as Regina hastily made her way to the table.

Emma looked up and smiled when she met her eyes. Regina was unable to return it while she made her way over to her supposed girlfriend. “Your sister was cross-examining me about how we met,” she explained, a hint of exasperation in her voice.

“At a stake-out, apparently,” her mother Cora drawled with a hint of disbelief.

“I bet you’re a great lawyer,” Emma continued, facing Zelena, who nodded, pleased with the compliment.   


"Maybe she should be more at home, to be a great mom, too,” Cora interfered, causing the smirk to disappear from Zelena’s mouth. 

“Honestly, mother. Don’t start,” Zelena muttered.

“Your younger sister, on the other hand, chose not to develop any of her potential,” Cora continued, ignoring her eldest’s words.

Emma glared at Cora, who looked back at her. Henry interfered. “Hush now, darling,” he hummed at Cora. “Coffee, sweetheart?” He reached over for a clean cup and poured in some fresh coffee. Regina clenched her teeth. 

“Thanks, daddy,” she murmured under her breath. She didn’t want to know what had been discussed in her absence. But Robyn seemed to amuse herself and was more relaxed than the last time she’d seen her. She dreaded to admit it, but the girl looked up to Emma as if she was a movie star. Regina sat down next to Emma and grabbed a croissant.

“You know, we saw you on television,” Cora said after a silence that seemed to last forever. Regina suppressed the urge to roll her eyes as her mother continued. “You should’ve been more in front, though. It looked like you were hiding behind your boss.” Regina didn’t even dignify that with an answer. 

“Maybe, if you play your cards right, you’ll get a promotion,” Cora continued. Emma threw a fleeting look into Regina’s direction which she chose to ignore. God, she hadn’t been awake for fifteen minutes yet and she was already developing a headache. 

“Oh, this is a case you worked on for years, am I right?” Walsh interfered with some enthusiasm. “You could turn your experiences into a book. Or get an agent, give lectures throughout the country about it.”

“I can’t talk about the case,” Regina stiffly commented. 

“But you would consider a promotion, wouldn’t you?” Cora insisted.

Regina sighed. “I don’t know-”

“It is the chance of a lifetime, Regina. Only a fool would blow it.” Cora eyed her disapprovingly and an uneasy silence settled over the table. Henry’s eyes skipped over the table and all its contents, Zelena was still observing Emma, Walsh nervously looked outside the window, Emma looked straight at Cora with disbelief on her face. Robyn looked at her plate, fingers fidgeting. And Regina bristled with fury. This is exactly why she avoided coming home as much as she could. She didn’t want, didn’t need any of this in her life. Didn’t need her mother’s disappointment every day, every hour she was here. Her nostrils flared as she shallowly breathed in and out to contain her anger.

And then, her mother’s facial expression changed into a fake smile. “We’re all very proud of you,” she purred. 

“Hear hear,” Walsh said, relieved that the tension broke, and her father hummed his own approval. Regina didn’t look at them, focused on her plate only.

And then, Emma suddenly pushed her chair away from the table and bolted. Cora looked at her retreating posture. “What, something wrong?” she drawled as Regina jumped up to go after her. 

“I’ll go find out,” she replied, gaze dark. She didn’t know what was wrong with Emma and wanted to get up, but was stopped by her father’s voice. 

“No, wait, sweetheart. You’ve hardly eaten anything.” 

“Okay, now, obviously she’s unsure of her commitment, aren’t you?” Walsh asked her. Regina snorted, rolled his eyes at him. 

“I’ll just-”   
  
“No, darling, sit down,” Henry interfered. “ Robyn, can you go check on her?”

“Don’t smother her with affection, sis,” Zelena said, “It’s not attractive.”

Damn it. Her entire family lining up against her and that traitor niece of her - who was more than happy to leave the tension at the table - shot up from her chair, before rushing after Emma. 

Regina’s eyes shot through the room, followed Robyn until she’d left the kitchen and then, she started fidgeting with her napkin.

“Really, you act as if she were in custody,” Zelena told her. “Or heat.”

Walsh chucked, which resulted in a glare from his wife and it instantly shut him up. Regina slowly sunk back into her chair, brow furrowed. She could feel the vein in her forehead pulse rapidly.

~*~

Emma had grabbed her leather jacket and had left the house. She needed fresh air and some time away from these obnoxious snobs with their selfish, entitled behavior. They’d been interrogating her ever since she had joined the breakfast table, and then that  _ mother _ and her disapproval - Regina had warned her, but nothing could've prepared her for Cora. The disdain had radiated from her like a defective nuclear plant, intoxicating everyone at that fucking table. Dear God, no wonder that Regina hadn’t wanted to go home for Christmas if this is how it went every time. Not only had Cora tried to torpedo everything Regina had worked for, in the process she’d also tackled her other child. She, a former judge, should know better than to dismiss Zelena to a life of a housewife? Who was she to talk?

Emma bristled. The other thing that had immensely pissed her off is that nobody had stood up for Regina - let alone Regina herself. She couldn’t understand why Regina hadn’t been more defiant. They had only met two days ago but Regina was sharp, knew what she wanted, didn’t stray from her path - hell, had even threatened her into her confession with that boss of hers - but when she had to face her mother, she turned into a shade of herself - a soft puppy waiting to be kicked. She couldn’t understand that nobody would go against Cora. 

And then, if everything wasn’t enough as it was already, they had talked about the case that  _ she _ was, unbeknownst to them, a part of, and to turn it into a fucking promotion opportunity or a way to make money off of it. Off of  _ her _ . Here she was. No boyfriend, no apartment, forced into testifying, her life in shambles. She didn’t know why, but it had hurt to think about Regina talking about the case, talking about  _ her  _ in front of a gigantic audience. Would she talk about having to hide the key witness over Christmas and how dreadful the ordeal had been? Would they laugh at the waitress who’d snitched on her boyfriend out of spite? A shiver ran down Emma’s back and her stomach dropped. She felt miserable.

Maybe asking Regina to stay had been a mistake. She’d wished… She had wanted to experience a normal Christmas. Or maybe she had just wanted to escape from thinking about testifying, about what she was supposed to do when everything had ended. Being here for Christmas, at least, would be a welcome distraction from it all. But one morning with this dysfunctional family had taught her that this would be a far from normal Christmas.

The door softly opened. The young girl stepped out. Robyn. She had straight, dark blonde hair pulled back with a headband. A knitted red and white sweater - if it hadn’t been horribly boring, it could’ve counted as a Christmas sweater. And a long, dull skirt that looked a lot like a skirt they had to wear at boarding school - or at least the boarding schools Emma had seen in movies. She closed the door behind her. “Everyone inside is so tense,” she started. “It’s because of the open house.” 

“Open house?” Emma muttered, still not really wanting to talk but for fuck’s sake, it was a kid. “What’s that?” 

“It’s this big party grandma and grandpa have every year, where all these people come. And they talk and eat and drink and spill all over. And the kids run around without supervision. And by the end of the night, someone always drives up on the lawn and ruins the grass. And of course, my grandma gets mad and yells at them.” 

Despite everything, Emma chuckled. “Sounds like fun.” Despite her boring appearance, the girl had a sense of humor. 

Robyn’s smile faded. “Only if Alice doesn’t come,” she softly said.

“Who’s Alice?”   
  
Robyn looked at her, startled as if she’d just realized she’d said too much. “I shouldn’t have said anything.” Suddenly, she was a bit guarded. Emma shrugged.

“You can tell me. I won’t tell anyone. Or, if you really don’t want to, you don’t have to.”

Robyn narrowed her eyes - Emma could see that she and Regina were related - and looked up and down. As if she was sizing her up. And, Emma guessed, she’d probably passed the test, as Robyn stepped a little closer.

“I, um, can’t really talk to my mom about it. And my dad, he’s completely out of it.” 

Emma smiled. “I noticed that.” For a child psychologist, Walsh didn’t seem to really understand his own daughter. He was all big talk, but oblivious to his own daughter’s problems. The girl had a tensity around her that Emma recognized from when she was a kid. Like she was carrying a burden with her that didn’t lift.

“He’s semi-famous. Which is weird. You’re either famous or you aren’t, right?” Robyn fidgeted with her fingers.

Emma hummed in agreement, folding her own hands together. Robyn moved a bit closer and after a few seconds, sat down next to Emma. 

“So, tell me about Alice,” Emma encouraged her, and she didn’t miss that Robyn’s cheeks turned pink. That was… interesting. 

“Well,” Robyn slowly started, weighing her words like she was much older than - how old was she, anyway? Twelve? - her age. “Her parents went to school with my mom and they come to the party every year. And they bring her.” There was a small pause and she turned her head away. “And uhm. I… sort of like her?” 

Emma smiled at her, and when Robyn carefully lifted her gaze to meet hers, Emma’s smile gave her some confidence. “Well, actually… I like her a lot.” It was also interesting that Robyn came to her to talk about it all, and didn’t go to her own parents.

Okay, she could definitely understand why the kid didn’t want to talk to either her parents or anyone else in this stuck-up, condescending family about this. And here she was, pretending to be a  _ girlfriend, _ and apparently, that was enough for this girl to open up. Maybe Emma was safe, she mused because she was a stranger. Maybe that made it easier.

“I just… I don’t know if she likes me, too,” Robyn said, shuffling a little closer. “Sometimes I think she does, but she never really looks at me.” 

“Hm, that’s a problem,” Emma agreed, rubbing her hands together. “Did you ever ask her?”

“No.” Robyn looked up, frowned at her as if it was the stupidest thing to say ever. 

“Well, okay. Then you have to draw her attention,” Emma mused out loud. “Clothes, different hairstyle, some make-up. I can help you with that if you want.” Drawing attention from a girl would probably not be so much different than from a boy, right?

Robyn nodded enthusiastically. “That would be great! Thank you so much.” She arched forward as if she wanted to hug Emma, but when Emma tensed she grabbed her upper arm instead. Emma smiled at her.

“Robyn, please get inside.” 

Regina’s voice drifted over to them and when they looked up, they noticed Regina watching them from the driveway. Robyn jumped up. “See you later, Emma!” Emma waved as Robyn bounced off, and sighed, more relaxed than she had been this entire morning. That didn’t last very long, because she saw Regina’s eyes blazing fire.

Emma crossed her legs as Regina made her way over. “What the hell are you thinking, Miss Swan? She’s  _ thirteen _ !”

“She likes a girl, Regina. I was just giving her some tips on how to draw the attention of this girl she likes. Surely you can relate,” Emma huffed, folding her arms in front of her chest, eyes up to the woman in front of her. Regina was pretty when she was angry, she realized. Especially when she’d planted her hands in her side like that and looked down on her with those fiery eyes. 

Huh. Emma’s brow furrowed. She felt a little confused. Regina was a very attractive woman, but why did her insides feel so queasy? A little uncertain, she cleared her throat and pushed herself up, which resulted in them almost standing nose to nose. Regina’s eyes had little golden flecks in them, Emma saw. She hadn’t noticed before.

“So, now you’ve been a fake girlfriend for less than a day, you’re suddenly an expert?” Regina hissed, looking outraged.

Emma blinked. “Liking someone is liking someone,” she countered. “It’s not rocket science. And, I mean, did you look at the girl? She looks like a grandma in these clothes.”

“There are other ways to draw attention. Like intelligence,” Regina sharply retorted.

Emma snorted and rolled her eyes. Right. 

“Do you want her to end up like you?” Regina snapped.

Breath caught her throat. With a jerk of her head, Emma captured Regina’s gaze. And even though she saw a hint of regret on that pretty little face and the sagging of Regina’s shoulders when she realized what she said, Emma couldn’t help but scoff. Typical.

For a couple of minutes, sitting out here with Robyn, she thought she could make this work. The girl had treated her like a human being. For a moment, she hadn’t felt so out of place. But it had been short-lived. She’d always be a nobody, especially to everyone in this loopy family. And she was better than this. She was not going to wait around for more insults to be thrown her way. She still had her pride.    
  
But what stung the most was that out of  _ everyone _ , it was Regina who’d given her this low blow. It was unexpected and cruel.

“Well,” she stiffly said, straightening her back and narrowing her eyes, masking her hurt by raising her chin. “That’s the first honest thing you’ve ever said to me since we’ve met. Or did you forget telling me that ruining my life would get you on the map for promotion?”

“That’s the way they think, not the way I think,” Regina protested, which earned her another scoff. Right.

“You’re the one that said it. Not them.” She turned her eyes away, eyes that burned with tears of humiliation. “You wanted to leave, right? Well, I’m out of here,” Emma grouched, stalking past Regina while bumping into her shoulder. Damn her and her snobbish family. They were all the same.

She forced her tears back with sheer willpower. She would not cry over any of them - they weren’t fucking worth it.

“Emma, wait,” she heard Regina call out behind her but she didn’t. She entered the house, stalked past a highly surprised Henry, took the stairs to their shared bathroom, and grabbed her things. She’d barely started to shove them into her duffel bag when Regina entered the room.

“Please,” Regina pleaded, and Emma scowled.

“I don’t need your fucking protection, Regina,” Emma snapped. “I’m a survivor. I’ve been on my own since I was fifteen and I can protect myself.” She grabbed a shirt and pushed it into her bag angrily, before stomping off to the bathroom.

“First of all,” Regina said, leaning against the doorpost, “Killian Jones has a lot to lose and you’re the only one that can bring him down. You need protection and that’s my job. And I am going to do my job.” 

Emma threw her a dark glare and shoved the things she’d used in the bathroom in a plastic bag.

“Second of all,” Regina continued, “My father went to ridiculous lengths to get me here and I promise, things will get better. If they don’t, I will make them better, if you just, please… stay.” She stepped forward, forcing Emma to look at her. Emma felt how her chest contracted painfully and she angrily narrowed her eyes. 

“Why the hell would you stay? Maybe you were right and a hotel room would beat these idiots by far.”

Regina sighed, ran a hand through her hair in frustration. “Because I’m here now, and they’re still family, and they’re not all that bad.”

“You didn’t get the third degree.”

“I did. After you left. Mother was relentless.” Regina sighed unhappily. “But I think Zelena has taken a liking of you. And my father already adores you.” She tried to smile, but her face faltered when Emma simply glared back, too hurt to appreciate the compliment. Regina stepped forward. “I’m sorry, Emma. I was angry at my mother and I took it out on you. I shouldn’t have said what I said.”

Emma closed her eyes, inhaled deeply through her nose. Maybe Regina should’ve fucking started with that apology instead of forcing her to stay in her custody. She stepped forward and forcefully jabbed a finger into Regina’s chest. “One more insult and I’m gone,” she barked. “I’ve spent Christmas alone at a bus station and I’ll do it again if I have to.”

She stormed off into the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind her. She didn’t know what she was doing. She meant what she said. She had no problem with spending Christmas alone - it’s what she’d always done. 

And let’s face it - she had always been subjected to insults. She was used to them. But what she didn’t understand was why Regina’s words had touched her more than all the other insults combined had. Her words had struck a sensitive chord and she felt hurt and yet, Emma had to agree with Regina.

She didn’t want Robyn to turn out like her.

She sunk through her knees and sat on the toilet’s closed lid, and buried her hands in her hair. 

“I’m sorry,” she then heard Regina say quietly. “I was out of line. I shouldn’t have said it. But I was…” Her voice wavered, and she sighed. “No, I’m just sorry.” 

Emma didn’t reply and waited until she heard Regina leave. 


	3. Chapter 3

It took Emma a little while to pull herself together again. Lower your expectations, she told herself in the mirror. Don’t assume that they will ever do anything else than to look down on you. It was just for a few days. 

Funny. Yesterday she had convinced Regina to spend Christmas here. Now, she couldn’t wait to go home - wherever that was going to be. She could probably rent a room at Granny’s for a lower paycheck, and go from there. It would be something, at least. 

She shyly entered the living room, wearing her signature jeans - she’d cut the holes herself, because it had saved her at least 40 dollars - and a blouse. She’d buttoned it up a little higher than she usually would. Both Cora and Zelena stopped what they were doing momentarily - wrapping gifts and placing them under the tree. She swallowed.  _ Be nice _ , she told herself. “The living room looks like a picture in a magazine,” she said with a smile. Cora went on with her own business, disregarding her completely, but Zelena acknowledged her words and asked, “So, Emma, what about your parents? You’re not going home for Christmas?” 

Emma shook her head. “No parents,” she clarified tersely, carefully sitting down on the sofa opposite from Cora, who suddenly paid attention. Of course she would.

“No parents?”

Emma shook her head. “I was left next to a highway right after I was born. Bounced around in the system a lot, until I took off when I was fifteen. I’ve been on my own ever since.” She smiled. “Until I met Regina, that is.”

“Hm,” Zelena said, her bright green eyes narrowing slightly. It put Emma on edge right away.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Emma, but you hardly seem like Regina’s usual type. She’s silent, repressed, and totally lacking any spontaneity,” Zelena said. Emma tried to remind herself not to have expectations. But for some reason, after this afternoon all insults stung a little deeper. Gnawed a little harder. And she found that her annoyance grew with every word coming from both Zelena’s and Cora’s mouths.

As if both Cora and Zelena were any different. Emma suppressed the urge to roll with her eyes. They were so full of themselves. And then, she smirked. “Well, maybe not, but her former type always seemed to have an expiration date, did it not? Besides,” she added smugly, “I’m really good in bed.” 

“I beg your pardon?” Cora glared at her, and she raised her chin in defiance. But Zelena chuckled in surprise. 

“Well well, aren’t you the feisty one? For Regina’s sake, I hope you’re right, dear. Time will learn if this too shall pass, or that you truly are her happily ever after.” Zelena was rewarded with a glare from her mother. Cora opened her mouth to say something, but then, then, Regina came through the living room door. 

“There you are,” she said a little breathless, “I’ve been looking all over for you.” 

Emma got up immediately, gladly accepting the rescue mission. “Can’t get enough of me, can you?” she winked suggestively at her pretend-girlfriend. Regina’s back stiffened immediately, and Emma saw the pink that appeared on Regina’s cheeks. Emma smirked - she admitted she kind of liked this payback - and turned to see Zelena’s response. An understanding smirk and a little chuckle were her reward. 

Regina scraped her throat. “Well. Time for bed,” she muttered a little hoarse. 

“You bet,” Emma beamed at her, turning her face to meet her. And because she was pissed off, she laid her hand on Regina’s cheek and kissed her.

Which was definitely a gigantic mistake, she realized a millisecond later. The moment their lips touched it was like she received an electrical shock - maybe it was because she’d been sitting on the sofa, but when she softly gasped, she felt it again. Regina’s lips were softer than any lips she’d ever felt. The smooth skin her fingers brushed over felt almost delicate.

The air became heavier and she knew she had to withdraw but she just couldn’t, not when Regina raised her hands to cup her face, thumbs caressing her cheeks as she briefly kissed her back. Emma’s heartbeat so fast and loud that she heard it pounding in her ears, blood rushed to every nerve end of her body. Her knees became unsteady and she wanted - she wasn’t really sure, but her chest felt too tight with everything she was feeling as Regina’s lips moved over hers until Regina slowly pulled back. 

Emma’s eyes fluttered open - she hadn’t even realized she’d closed them in the first place - and she looked into soft, surprised brown ones. Emma blinked, realizing that Regina’s hands were still softly caressing her face and she smiled dopily. But when Zelena scraped her throat and they both realized they still had company, the brunette let her hands fall. It felt like an instant loss, Emma lamented. She smiled at the both of them before she left the room, vaguely hearing that Regina bid her sister and mother good night. Zelena’s laughter and her teasing, “Uh-huh, a good night indeed,” followed her upstairs.

She fled to the bedroom and closed the door, leaning against it while she tried not to panic. Breathe, breathe, she told herself. She was so confused. What the hell just happened? She’d just wanted to piss off Zelena and Cora and then - she didn’t even know what then. With trembling hands, she grabbed her sleeping shirt and disappeared into the bathroom. 

Regina entered the bedroom moments later, as shocked as Emma was. When she’d entered the living room she had felt the tension radiating from both her mother and Emma, and hadn’t she promised to make it better for the blonde? It was late already, so she’d suggested they would turn in, and then, Emma had touched her face and had kissed her.

Hot blood was still coursing through her veins, her heart rapidly pounding in her chest and the memory of the electrical jolt flashing through her body flushed her face again. She touched her lips, which still tingled from their kiss. This was wrong in so many ways. Emma was her case, this couldn’t happen. What’s more, she had a boyfriend and her earlier revelations had indicated that she was straight. And they were from completely different worlds.

And yet, it had felt so right. She inhaled a little shakily, and heard the sounds from the bathroom. Quickly and silently, she changed into her pajamas and turned off the lights, all but the one on the nightstand, and slipped under the covers. It didn’t take long for Emma to emerge from the bedroom, and Regina kept her eyes closed until Emma slipped under the duvet and turned off the last light. 

She forced herself to regulate her breathing. Inhale. Exhale. But her heart was still racing too hard to be able to really focus. The room was silent for a while, but uneasy energy lingered in the room. Regina thought about what happened earlier that day, after their breakfast. Her mother hadn’t stopped her condescending conversation until breakfast was over. Regina had been so angry with her, with her entire family, with the whole world when she finally had the chance to go to find Emma. And when she’d found her talking to Robyn, about helping her with her appearance, something had snapped. She had just… wanted to fight. Get it out of her system. 

The result of it all was that she’d felt worse. Of course she’d apologized, but it wasn’t enough. And she had been brooding throughout the day until Zelena had found her. “Uh oh. Trouble in paradise, sis?” she’d mocked her with an amused glint in her eyes.

Regina had merely scoffed, but as always, Zelena had not taken a hint. “She’s a bit…  _ different  _ than your usual type, isn’t she?”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“She’s a firecracker, darling. Not as horribly boring or complacent or complete twats as your former conquests.”

Regina hummed unintelligibly. Emma  _ was  _ a firecracker. A spontaneous, kind-hearted idiot with her heart on her tongue. 

“So, what did you do?”

Regina had blinked and sputtered. “What made you think  _ I _ did something?”

“You always pick fights after mommy dearest holds a speech like that. And you mostly pick the people you like. Normally it’s me. Now it’s her. And you feel sorry, so you’re mulling over every word you said to her.”

I don’t like her, Regina had wanted to say, but she had blinked when she realized that she, in fact, did. She liked the energy Emma radiated, that was so different from her family’s. She liked the bluntness, the openness. And, all right, she was a sight for sore eyes with her blond unruly curls, her lopsided smile, her bright green eyes. Something inside her chest had squeezed and she had firmly pressed her lips together.

“Oh goodness,” Zelena had chuckled upon seeing Regina’s face. “You really  _ do _ like Emma.” She’d cackled, thrown her bright red hair to her back, and had soon left her alone with her thoughts after that, but it had complicated matters even more. And then, that kiss not so long ago… 

Regina was so confused.

And then, Emma started to whisper in the near-dark, pulling Regina from her thoughts.

“I remember this one Christmas,” the blonde softly said. “I was… nine, maybe. For a change, I had a really nice foster family. There was no fighting. Nobody to watch out for. Nothing to be scared of. The house was so quiet with just me and my foster parents.” 

Regina opened her eyes and looked at the stars stuck at the ceiling, silently waiting for Emma to continue. “There was a Christmas tree with presents and I remember wishing so hard that it could stay this way. And the next morning, we got up really early, we turned on the lights in the Christmas tree and it was so beautiful.” She sighed. “We had a videotape of a fire cracking in the fireplace and we put it in the recorder to play it on TV, and pretended it was a real fire.” Emma laughed softly, and it drew a smile from Regina as well. “It was just the two of them, my foster parents, and me. It was so great they said, ‘Merry Christmas, Emma. Here’s your present’. They had gotten me mittens and a scarf and I loved it because they bought it for me especially. And I really thought this is where I could stay. This would be my family forever. _They_ had picked _me_.” 

She sighed, a sadness lining her voice that made Regina avert her eyes from the stars to the woman, hidden in shadows, on the bed. “Happy moments like that never lasted long. My foster mom did a pregnancy test that Christmas. They were going to have their own baby.” There were a few seconds of silence. “After that, it was like I wasn’t even there. As if I was… invisible. And before New Year’s Eve, I was back in the group home.” 

Regina’s heart squeezed painfully as she pushed herself up to lean on her elbow. “You deserved better than that,” she quietly said, and in the pale moonlight, she saw how Emma squeezed her eyes shut. A single tear leaked from the corner of her eye. Then, she turned on her side to face Regina.

“That’s a very nice thing to say, Agent Mills,” she whispered. The shadows made it hard to read Emma’s face, but Regina found herself swallowing away a lump in her throat. The moonlight turned Emma’s hair into silver. Regina felt something contract in her stomach and she needed to create a little distance.

“You know I’m on duty, right?” Regina murmured, “And there’s nothing you can do to stop me from doing my job.”

Emma scoffed. Shook her head, took a few seconds to formulate a sentence. “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “I only kissed you back there to piss off your mom.” She smirked darkly. “And boy, she hated it.” And then, she leaned back into the pillow, turned around to her other side until Regina was looking at her back. 

The lost connection hit her harder than it should. Regina opened her mouth to say something but she didn’t know what. It should be a relief, she told herself, that it wasn’t anything more than a kiss to piss Cora off. And it had at least convinced Zelena that Emma was Regina’s girlfriend.

But it had been so much more to Regina. She’d never been kissed like that - had never felt anything remotely like this earth-shattering experience. Her heart had been hammering so hard that she’d been afraid it would break her chest. But apparently, Emma hadn’t been as impressed.

To her surprise, her nose itched and her eyes wet. 

She exhaled softly. And it took her longer than normal to fall asleep.

~*~ 

Emma knew exactly when Regina finally fell asleep. The woman’s breath slowed, grew deeper. And she had this cutest little puff every time she exhaled. She smiled. Regina would probably murder her if Emma would ever call her cute.

Be that as it may, Emma couldn’t sleep, the kiss still firmly planted in her mind. She turned around, watched Regina for a few minutes. She looked so peaceful. Her forehead was relaxed, her features had softened. She was beautiful.

And Emma was at a complete loss. She had lied. Sure, the kiss had really started to piss off both Cora and Zelena, but it had been so, so much more than just that. She just… didn’t want Regina to worry. The kiss had disabled her brains and she couldn’t think anymore. Hardly understood what it all meant. She was so confused.

Regina had awoken feelings within her that she never even knew she had. It couldn’t be love - she’d loved Killian and couldn’t be over him already, right? - but she didn’t know what else it was, either. Not lust. She rolled her eyes. Okay, not  _ just  _ lust. 

Regina was a warrior, a fighter, and at the same time, very sensitive. Cocky. Sure, she was snobbish at times, but after meeting her family Emma could hardly blame her. And her appearance, combined with her sharp wits… Oh boy. She’d fallen hard.

Emma sighed when the realization hit. She really, really liked Regina. She didn’t know how it happened or what it really meant, but in any case, the fact that she did was exactly why the insult this morning, had hit home. Because she had really wanted Regina to like her back. When she didn’t and even more, said the horrible things she had, it was like she had received a physical slap in the face.

And then, she had apologized. Nobody ever apologized to Emma Swan. She was used to it. The fact that Regina had, had really meant something. It made her feel validated. As if she mattered. Studying Regina’s relaxed features, a lock of hair slipping over her cheek, she suddenly felt the urge to reach out. Gently stroke it back, tucking it behind her ear. Her fingers itched with anticipation but before she could do anything stupid, she abruptly sat up.

She needed a change of space. Some air. Hopefully, it would calm her nerves enough to sleep in a little while.

She was surprised that the lights in the kitchen were still on - and even more, that a delicious smell drifted towards the hallway. She entered and there was the third surprise - Henry Mills wore an apron and in front of him, there were so many different kinds of food in different stages of preparation. “Do you mind if I come in? It smells awfully good in here,” she announced her presence.

He looked up, smiled, and nodded. “It’s awfully late,” he said while she took a few steps forward. 

“I can’t sleep,” Emma said, not elaborating any further. Her eyes skimmed over all the cookies, cakes, deserts Henry had made. “I can’t believe you  _ do  _ all this,” she said, eyes shimmering. “Do you need help?” 

He eyed her for a moment as if he was trying to figure her out. “Do you know how to sift flour?”

Emma shook her head. “But I’m a fast learner?”

“No, that’s all right. Here.” He gestured to her to come closer to a baking tray, grabbed the dough in front of her and a bag of pecans. “I have to make 150 pecan cookies before the open house, tomorrow night.” He showed her how by taking a small piece of dough, rolling it between his hands, and placing it on the baking tray, where he flattened it a little and finally, placed a pecan nut on top of it. Emma followed his example to the dot and he hummed in satisfaction. She smiled at him. 

“I’ve never been to an open house,” Emma confessed. “Aren’t you afraid someone weird will come?” 

Henry chuckled. “My dear, I’m hoping someone weird will come. It livens things up.” 

Emma grinned while rolling the next ball of dough between the palms of her hand. 

“The open house is the most important social event of the year in Storybrooke,” Henry continued, and Emma hummed.

“So, you’re like, the most important man in town if you organize it every year?” she curiously asked. “How do you become the person that everyone counts on?” 

Henry smiled at her before he turned away to stir in one of the pans on the stove. “Many people don’t recognize the work that goes into it,” he told her. “It’s nice that you do.” 

Emma smiled. She liked the man. He was the only one who hadn’t judged, hadn’t treated her like trash since they’d arrived and he had a soft, quiet nature - even though he had tricked Regina into coming here. Emma figured that one must adapt at least somewhat to spend their lives with Cora Mills.

“So you like cooking, huh?” Emma said. Henry nodded. 

“You’ve probably… felt some tension,” he told her and Emma snorted, which made him chuckle. “Cooking and baking help me relax. Always has. And for events like these, I like giving my time. Of course, there will be a caterer later but it always feels better if there’s something to serve that’s mine.”

“I admire your dedication. To both your event and your wife.” She snapped her mouth closed because it hadn’t been the nicest thing to say, but Henry simply hummed. She liked the man, and it felt wrong to keep him completely in the dark, even though she couldn’t get into the details. “I have a confession to make,” she then said, placing the next ball of dough on the tray. She looked up briefly before turning to the task at hand. “I’m not sleeping with Regina.”

“I know,” Henry smiled.

“It’s not that I wouldn’t,” Emma added, “Regina has just never taken advantage of the situation. She… she’s got discipline. Or, or, manners.” She winced. “Not that I really know what that is, of course, but… but…. what I’m trying to say,” she continued, waving with her hands, “Regina’s too good of a person to be with me. And it wouldn’t have worked out anyhow. So don’t worry.” She turned back to the cookie dough.

“I see,” Henry said after a brief pause.

“So, don’t worry. We’re not getting married or anything,” Emma added, smiling up to him and she caught him staring at her as if he was slightly lost in thoughts. He smiled back at her.

“You know,” she continued as he stepped behind her with another tray of cookies, opening the oven. Emma frantically kneaded the dough between her hands. She looked up to see if she had his attention - he turned after he closed the oven’s lid. “When I was little, I used to dream of going to fancy parties like these. Be a princess, right? But I don’t think I should be going to this one.” She sighed. “I’d probably say the wrong things. And I don’t have anything to wear anyway. So, don’t worry. I won’t ruin your party and I’ll stay away.” She didn’t want to embarrass Regina in front of her friends and acquaintances. The best way to do that was to not show up at all.

“I think Regina would be really disappointed if you’re not there,” Henry countered after a few moments of silence. “She would probably think that someone said something offensive to you and she’d blame me, her sister, her mother… What if we found you something to wear?” 

Emma tilted her head a little wary. “Really?” she asked, eyebrows raised.

“You’re a beautiful woman, Emma. With the right person to pick your dress, you’d be the princess of the ball. I know someone who can help you. He is a little odd, but he can dress you like no one else can.” 

“Well,” Emma slowly answered, “If you’re  _ sure-”  _

“Of course, my dear. I’ll call Jefferson first thing tomorrow. But realize that he’ll pick out something entirely different than what you’re used to. You’re going to have to trust him. Can you do that?” 

“I guess,” Emma replied, a little guarded. She continued rolling the dough until they ran out, and Henry shooed her off to bed. This time, sleep came more easily to Emma.


	4. Chapter 4

Jefferson turned out to be a short man with an attitude and a weird affinity for high hats. He tutted as he looked at her when he picked her up. She frowned at him, but he was unimpressed with her scowl. His eyes slowly traveled over her tank top and worn down pants and sneakers. “It might take a little work, but I can work with this,” he told Henry, who looked at him a little amused. Regina, wringing her hands while standing next to her father, wanted to comment but he squeezed her shoulder. “She’ll be in good hands,” he had hummed. “Jefferson will get her back on time, promise.”

It was the start of a very hectic day. He took her to a couple of stores to shop for a dress, first, which took a lot of self-restraint from Emma’s side. She felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman - completely out of place. And while he started to go through the racks and racks of evening gowns, she randomly picked one out to see if she could rile him up.

“I like this one,” she said, pulling out an ostentatious silvery gown that showed a lot of cleavage. Jefferson frowned. 

“Heavens, no,” he said, disgusted. “You’d die of exposure in that.” 

Emma grinned, not offended at all, and put the dress back on the rack. “One of my foster moms told me you had to suffer for beauty,” she told him.

He rolled his eyes. “Yes, dear, but must we all?” he murmured.

She laughed and it broke some of the tension she felt. Okay, she might not have a lot of fun because this was all too surreal, but it wasn’t too bad. At least it beat being at the Mills’ home. Sure, Jefferson was a little patronizing, but since she had promised Henry to let him do his job, she let him. And after a little while, he had gathered enough clothes for a fitting. An actual fitting. She scoffed. She usually went to the store, bought stuff, and tried it on at home. If it didn’t fit, she’d bring it back. But not in these circles There was a huge fitting area and a waiting area where Jefferson sat down and was served coffee - God, she wanted coffee as well. So unfair.

While he made himself comfortable, the woman who’d assisted Jefferson by picking out the dresses - Aurora, she introduced herself as - helped Emma with the dresses. The first one was long, bare shoulders and a tight corset. And it was white. She frowned as she looked at herself in the mirror. “It’s like a wedding dress,” she told Jefferson as she exited the dressing room. “And I can’t breathe. And it’s too bare on the back. It’s a Christmas party, right? Not a freeze to death party?”

He chuckled, whirled his finger to indicate that she should turn, and then said: “Next!” 

Thank God, Emma thought as Aurora guided her back towards the dressing room. With her very confused feelings right now, anything remotely similar to weddings was enough to get on her nerves. 

The next one was a blue suit which she immediately rolled her eyes at. “Boring,” she murmured at Jefferson. He tilted his head. 

“It’s very posh,” he told her, but she made a gagging sound. 

“If you’re eighty maybe,” she retorted.

He sighed. “All right, next.” 

The next suit wasn’t any better. “I look like a sailor,” she pouted, as Jefferson inspected the white and black blazer. “This isn’t Christmas-y at all.”

“It would do very nicely,” Jefferson retorted, stroking his chin. He had a glimmer in his eyes.

Emma simply frowned at him. “There must be something in here that we can both agree on?”   
  
It took them a few more fittings before they did find a dress they all liked.

The rest was somewhat of a blur. They went to a beauty salon where Jefferson instructed the employees to do her nails, face, and hair. She eyed him a little distrustfully when he was whispering to one of the women working there.

“What’s that?” she inquired, but Jefferson simply waved it away. “Nothing that concerns you, dear,” he said. “Hush. The professionals are talking.” 

And because she had promised to cooperate - honestly, she was a little curious about what they were going to do - she sighed and rolled her eyes as she gave in with a wary look. Jefferson looked at his company when she lamented on her lack of say in everything. “Breaks your heart, right?” he hummed, and the woman laughed. 

“Into a million pieces.” And then, she got to work. 

Time flew by and before she knew it, the sun had nearly set and Jefferson delivered her back to the mansion. He followed her upstairs after Henry let them in and Emma found herself looking for Regina, but she was nowhere to be found. “Now,” the man hummed while anticipation gathered in Emma’s stomach. “Let’s give you that final touch, shall we?”

~*~

Most of the guests had arrived and she was supposed to mingle, but Regina found herself sticking to the people she knew. Walsh was her current conversation partner and as he raved on about how she should consider turning her experience with her case into a series of lectures for the Ivy League universities, her eyes drifted through the room. Waiters carrying trays of glasses filled with expensive champagne maneuvered through the guests, tables were filled with all sorts of food and she recognized quite a few people from her youth. She nodded politely when her eyes met someone she went to high school with.

And she worried. Where was Emma? After Jefferson had more or less kidnapped her from the mansion this morning, she hadn’t seen her anymore. Her father had assured her that their trip had gone well and that she had nothing to worry about - she knew Jefferson, didn't she? Jefferson was a long-time friend of the family and had often advised Cora on her clothes - even Zelena sometimes went to him for advice. 

She spotted her sister at the other side of the room - her curly red hair twisted in a complicated looking knot, some wisps of hair framing her face, and a long shimmery green dress that matched the color of her eyes and hugged her figure well. Zelena caught her eyes and raised her glass to her, almost mockingly and Regina rolled her eyes in return. 

Her own dress was dark blue, nearly black, it had a wide neckline and three-quarter sleeves. The deep v-neck bared her cleavage - maybe a little too much, because she’d had several conversation partners talking to her assets instead of her face - and the long skirt, narrow around her hips but widening from there, danced around her ankles. She’d had to improvise because her father hadn’t allowed her to go with Emma, so she had rummaged through her old clothes until she had found this one. She didn’t care much - it’s not that she would meet these people any time soon again, anyway.

She knew the exact moment that Emma arrived because the whispers around her intensified and the air in the room shifted. She saw Walsh staring at someone over her shoulder, and when she turned she knew exactly why. Her mouth fell open when she saw Emma, radiant in a bright red dress, one long sleeve and the other shoulder bare. The skirt was a narrow one but gave enough space to move comfortably. It nearly reached the ground and when she moved towards Regina, she noticed that Emma wore heels, too, which brought out the instep of her feet. Her head snapped back up to meet her gaze, and Emma subtly raised her eyebrow as if asking for Regina’s opinion, but she was speechless. Emma’s messy curls - which, she had to admit, she had grown to like - had been neatly styled and fell over her shoulders, while a few locks that normally fell in her face were put up.

“Why is it,” Zelena, who’d moved closer, whispered in her ear, “that every time things are going well do you look as if you’re in pain?” Zelena’s presence slightly startled her and she broke eye contact with Emma to glare at her sister. “Lighten up, sis,” Zelena said, bumping her hip against her sister’s, “You might get lucky tonight.” 

Emma made her way over to her, Zelena, and Walsh, who spoke first. “You look smashing,” he told Emma, and she beamed at him.

“Thanks. I didn’t know if I could pull it off,” she said, a little shy and it immediately awoke a possessiveness inside Regina, who still couldn’t do anything but stare.

“Oh no, no. You, eh, definitely can pull it off,” Walsh said, smiling a bit sheepishly.

“Regina thinks so too,” Zelena smiled sweetly at Emma, “She just can’t talk at the moment. Sis, you dropped your jaw.” 

Regina snapped her mouth shut. Emma looked at Regina once more and there were a thousand things Regina wanted to tell her, but nothing came out. Emma’s smile faltered a little, a small insecure crease appeared in her forehead as Zelena hooked her arm through Walsh’s and mumbled something about mingling.

“Your, um, father bought me this dress,” Emma said, insecurity in her voice. “Jefferson picked it out. I had my doubts.” 

“It’s, it’s…” Regina swallowed, feeling at a loss, “It’s so lovely.” 

“Right back at you,” Emma replied, eyes shimmering. “What do you think, could this be the real me?” She turned around on her heels to do a pirouette and winced. “I’m not sure if the real me prefers those heels, though.” 

“Well,” Regina said after clearing her throat, “I was beginning to appreciate the other one, but this one is… is good too,” she smiled appreciatively. There was a little shift in the air and suddenly, Regina had a hard time breathing. Her chest seemed to contract as she looked into those bright green eyes and her smile faltered. Regina didn’t realize she was staring until Emma’s frown returned a little and no, she didn’t want that. She wanted Emma to be happy and radiant and beaming and God, it was warm in here. “Emma,” she said, breathing shallowly and she wanted to grasp her hands and pull her close, to slip her arms around her waist. Emma’s eyes darkened and Regina gulped. “I-”

“Emma,” she heard next to her and Zelena had brought someone over to meet her. “I’d like you to meet Mister Tuck, our pastor, and my father’s golf partner.” 

Emma seemed to recover quickly - quicker than Regina, and Regina was happy for Emma’s save. “Ah. I bet everyone that beats you on the golf court feels guilty, father,” she said with a wink. The man laughed heartily.

“You’re right, that’s how I get them to come to church,” he replied with a wink. He patted Regina on her shoulder. “You’re a lucky woman, Regina,” he told her. “Don’t worry, I’m very open-minded. Love is love, am I right?” And with a roaring laugh, he excused himself to the open bar.

Regina’s eyes snapped back to Emma, who followed the pastor with her eyes until they both heard a young voice behind them. “Mom, really?”

They both turned. “I look like I’m four years old!” Robyn stood in front of her mother in - even Regina had to admit - a ridiculous dress. It looked like a patchwork quilt and was buttoned up all the way to her neck. 

“Well, I like it, sweet pea,” Zelena countered.   
  
“You like it? You wear it.” Robyn stomped off and Zelena came closer, and the three of them saw a blond, bouncy girl come into Robyn’s direction. But the girl averted her eyes as Robyn opened her mouth to talk to her, and Robyn slumped against the wall in defeat.

“Poor girl,” Emma muttered. “All she needs is a little confidence.” 

“Are you telling me I don’t know how to raise my own daughter?” Zelena huffed, glaring at Emma. 

"No,” Emma replied, looking the woman straight in the eye with a raised chin, “You just don’t know how to dress her.” 

Regina snorted, and Zelena frowned but before she could say anything, Henry hooked his arm through Emma’s and guided her away from Regina.

“I know perfectly how to dress my own daughter,” Zelena huffed to no one in particular. “But she’s thirteen. I don’t want these boys on the loose ogling my daughter’s  _ assets _ .” She lifted her nose in the air and strode off.

~*~

The evening was going fairly well, Regina thought. She’d kept a close eye on Emma at the beginning, but Emma could hold her own, she discovered pretty quickly. Emma could easily hold a conversation, small-talked her way through both boring, shallow, and the more interesting conversations, and held off unwanted suitors like a pro - must be her experience in working as a waitress - and she professionally steered every conversation away from herself to her conversation partner.

Regina felt herself relaxing and started to enjoy the party, something she hadn’t done in ages. She even caught up with Mal - who congratulated her on her fine taste in women. Regina had smirked and bowed her head, taking the compliment. She almost wished it was true.

Of course, she should’ve remembered that these moments of relaxation never lasted in her parental home. Suddenly, someone grabbed her at her upper arm and when she turned, she saw her mother. Cora’s fingers dug deep in her arm and Regina suppressed a wince. Her mother’s eyes were ablaze and because Regina hadn’t expected it, she recoiled. 

“My office. Now,” Cora barked, before roughly releasing her daughter and marching away from her. Regina instinctively rubbed the sore spots on her arm. Her eyes traveled through the room, finding her father’s, and he helplessly shrugged - apparently, he’d also had a visit from her mother - while making his way over to Emma. What the hell was going on?

There was only one way to find out. She gritted her teeth and followed Cora, who leaned against her desk with her arms folded. “What is it, mother?” she asked, guarded, while imitating her mother’s stance and folding her own arms, as well. 

She heard voices in the hallway, some laughter, and then Emma and her father appeared as well, with their arms hooked together.   
  
“Good,” Cora said sharply, “You’re all here. I’ll cut to the chase. Regina here has brought home a  _ case  _ she’s been working on.”

A stunned silence fell over them all. Regina’s eyes widened and she saw how Emma’s face dropped. How the hell did Cora figure this one out? Neither of them had given any indication of Emma’s status.

“What do you mean?” Henry frowned, looking from Cora to Emma, then to Regina. God, her father. 

Cora’s eyes slid to Regina. “Tell your father.” Disapproval was lined through her words as she shook her head. “Brace yourself, dear,” she addressed Henry next.

Regina closed her eyes. “Emma and I… we are not together,” she then confessed. Henry’s eyes flicked from Emma to Regina, and the latter one tried to avoid both her father’s and Emma’s eyes.

“We’re greatly relieved to hear that, I assure you,” Cora said, now with a satisfied look on her face, and to Regina’s own surprise, it felt like a slap in the face. Emma didn’t deserve her mother’s condescending demeanor.

“Emma happens to be-”    
  
“I’m a witness,” Emma interrupted, voice raised and with a defiant look in her eyes. “And I have to testify against my boyfriend. And Regina was assigned to protect me.”   
  
“Oh,” Henry said, blinking, taking a step towards Regina.

“The federal prosecutor has been hiding her here, in our house.” Cora spat.

“I’m not a criminal,” Emma protested vehemently.

“Semantics,” Cora huffed in disdain, not even looking at her - her eyes were firmly locked at Regina.

Regina bristled with fury. “I came here,” she interfered, raising her voice, “because I thought you’d had a heart attack.”

For a moment, Cora’s brow furrowed in surprise. “A heart attack?” she said, looking from Regina to Henry.

Regina’s eyes flashed to her father, who had the audacity to look at least a little guilty. He scraped his throat. “Just once,” he started unhappily, “Just once I wanted to celebrate Christmas together… I wanted it to be like old times.” Cora rolled her eyes, scoffed, and looked away.

“I am under strict orders not to reveal who she is to anyone. Otherwise, I would have told you,” Regina snapped. “Now, Emma here has been gracious enough to give up  _ her  _ Christmas to come here, and be a part of mine. I think you owe her an apology.” She folded her arms in front of her chest and took a step forward to her mother, matching Cora’s fury. Her mother was unbelievable. And she was no longer letting Cora get the better of her. She was done with it. She finally stood up for herself.

Cora raised her eyebrows, moved her glance from Regina to Emma, and with a disapproving look on her face, scoffed.

Regina’s eyes flashed to Emma. The hurt on the blonde’s face, albeit masked quickly, made her own chest contract painfully. She sighed and shook her head “I should have used better judgment,” she bitterly spoke. “I should have told daddy that I couldn’t possibly come home to see my dying mother. How did you find out anyway?”

“Jones’ lawyer happens to be a close friend of mine,” Cora told her in a condescending tone. “He’s telling me they’re being falsely accused.” Her face was unreadable, but Regina knew a vindictive Cora was unpredictable and incapable of admitting a mistake. And yet, she couldn’t wrap her head around what she was hearing.

“Don’t tell me you actually believe that,” Regina retorted vehemently, dread settling in the pit of her stomach. Emma’s eyes grew wide in shock.

“I trust Robert Gold,” Cora told her, sitting down graciously in the chair behind her desk. 

Regina snorted in disbelief. “Do you?” she barked. “How can you invite a man like that to a party in your house and object to someone who helps her country convict a group of criminals? How?” Her voice had grown louder with every word she said.

“I don’t like being deceived by my own daughter,” Cora threw back at her.

“Deceived?!” Regina cried out, “I’m obeying the  _ rules _ ! Are you really going to have your pettiness, your inability to accept anything other than your own distorted world view, destroy  _ everything  _ I’ve worked for?”

Her voice echoed through the room. The Christmas music in the background was a sheer contrast to the anger and tension in the room.

“I want you both out of my house,” Cora said then, her voice dripping with venom.

Regina narrowed her fiery eyes at her mother, clenching her teeth together. Emma lowered her gaze to the floor, fingers fidgeting nervously.

“Oh, dear, wait,” Henry stepped in, breaking the quiet, “Think about everyone else, won’t you? Everyone is counting on being with Regina and Emma for Christmas. Please, please drop this ridiculous stance. It’s... Christmas Eve.”

Regina scowled when Cora’s shoulders stiffened. And she opened her mouth to tell her father to not bother keeping the peace.

But Emma’s soft voice made her swallow her own words. “Regina was just doing her job, Mrs. Mills.” Regina’s eyes flicked to Emma when she heard the defeat in the blonde’s voice and she wanted to tell her that everything would be all right. But with her parents present, she felt glued to the floor. She felt helpless.

Cora rolled her eyes, turning her upper body towards everyone in front of her desk, chin up in the air. 

“We’ll continue this… charade, for the family, until the Christmas presents have been opened tomorrow, and Christmas dinner is consumed. Then, unexpectedly, you’ll be called back to Boston and you two will leave the house immediately. Is that clear?” Cora’s eyes narrowed as she awaited her answer.

“Extremely,” Regina replied through clenched teeth, a sharp tone in her voice, which made Cora raise her head to meet her eyes.    
  
“And you will never,  _ ever _ do this to us again.” The imminent warning was one that Regina, feeling sick to her stomach, fired back immediately.

“Don’t worry,” she spat back. “I won’t be back here again.” She turned around on her heels, stepped forward towards Emma.

“Regina,” the blonde murmured, but Regina shook her head as she placed a hand at the small of Emma’s back, guiding her out of the office. 

“Let’s go.”

She led Emma up the stairs to their shared bedroom, only withdrawing the hand from Emma’s back as she entered the room, closing the door behind her. Rage burned inside her chest. She couldn’t understand why her mother would do this to her - to them.

Emma, who seemed in shock through the entire ordeal, finally found some of her fire back. She breathed shakily, clenched and unclenched her fists, and snorted in disbelief. “Well,” she said, “Your mother is a real piece of work, isn’t she? I didn’t even  _ want  _ to come here.” 

“But you wanted to stay,” Regina retorted, angry with her mother and falling back into her own behavior, whirling around to face Emma. Emma straightened her back.

“You know what? I don’t need to be put on trial by your fucking family. I want to go home.” She narrowed her eyes to hide the tears of frustration and stepped forwards, jabbed a finger into Regina’s chest. “If I want to be humiliated, I’ll have Killian humiliate me, not your family,” she hissed. Regina took a step back.

Emma’s emotions got the better of her and she wanted to hurt like Regina’s family had hurt her. Attack was the best defense. “You know, before all of this? He was the best boyfriend I ever had. I could’ve made it work if I didn’t get so angry and turn him in. I’m so, so stupid.” She buried her hands in her own hair. 

Regina’s eyes widened for just a split second - it felt like taking a blow to her stomach. Anger settled in her stomach, her heart squeezed painfully upon Emma’s angry reveal. She didn’t know why these words had such an impact, she only knew that they had. 

And at the same time the blazing green eyes, the now wilder blonde curls made her insides twist and turn, and her fingers itched to be buried in those golden locks and pull her close. She wanted to kiss Emma, intentionally, without having to prove anything - or maybe she did want to prove to Emma that what she felt for Killian wasn’t love by far.

And Killian hardly cared for Emma. Regina frustratedly ran a hand through her hair, unable to control her own emotions anymore. “Let me tell you something about Killian Jones,” she snapped back at the blonde, slapping away the jabbing finger while trying to suppress her raging feelings, “I tailed him, day in and day out, 365 days a year. I was his shadow, I was his echo. I know what he did, every waking moment of his life, Emma.”

“So what?!” Emma barked back at her.

“So, you weren’t the only one,” she spat.

Emma’s eyes grow so wide that Regina fears her eyeballs are going to fall out. “You’re lying!” she cried out, her voice much higher than usual.

“No! No, Emma,  _ That’s _ the kind of man he really is. Don’t you get that? He’s a fraud and you, you better wake up,” she growled. The silence that follows weighed heavily on her shoulders as she met Emma’s wet, wide eyes staring angrily back up at her. A little quieter, she continued. “Because he’s using you. He’s using you,” she repeated more firmly when she saw Emma shaking her head in response, needing Emma to realize that she was telling the truth.

No. She’d needed to release her frustrations of both her mother’s outrage and Emma’s new rejection. Yes, what she had told Emma about Killian was the truth, but there was probably another way to enlighten Emma than to dump everything on her as she had.

She sighed, her shoulders sagged, and then gathered the blankets she’d used to sleep under. “I’ll take the guest room,” she stated and left the room with a heavy, hurt heart.

“Fine, go,” she heard Emma’s voice shriek after her as she closed the door behind her.

Emma lowered herself on the bed, hiding her face in the pillow. Bitter tears escaped her eyes. She’d had fun at the party. The entire day had been weirdly amusing. She’d felt like a princess, she’d felt valued. For a moment, she had forgotten about a life in shambles. She had pretended she was a part of this, especially after this afternoon and the beginning of the evening - oh, how she’d loved Regina’s stunned expression, and how beautiful she had felt under all the appreciative eyes. It had caused a warm, fuzzy feeling to settle in her belly. And the way Regina’s eyes had constantly wandered towards her had made a deep satisfaction settle in her chest. Her heart had fluttered every time their eyes had met. 

The party had been a success. Even though she had felt a little nervous at first, she’d so readily been accepted as a friend of the family and it had been a feeling so unfamiliar. At that moment, she’d felt wanted. Loved. But as she had always known, this would come to an end. The clock had struck midnight and Cinderella had returned to being a servant, covered in ashes. Turned back into a nobody.

She choked out a sob, curled up on the mattress, drawing her knees closer to her chin while she let her tears run freely, a hand over her mouth to silence her crying.

She’d lied. She didn’t want to go back to Killian. Somewhere, she’d always known she hadn’t been his only bedwarmer, but she - who had never been used to attention - had wanted to keep  _ something _ positive in her life. Even if he’d been a lying, cheating asshole.

Because he’d seen her. He’d noticed her. He had even helped her by getting her own apartment. She had been so distrustful, but he had persisted. Had wooed her into dates, had made her feel pretty. Maybe he wasn’t perfect and he hadn’t been hers, but he hadn’t walked out on her. In fact, when they met, she was the one who had not wanted to do anything with him, but he kept seeking her out, he gave her compliments, presents, until finally, she had succumbed.

She sighed shakily, turned her head into the pillow to muffle her sobs. Maybe it hadn’t been love, but it was  _ something _ . And now, she had nothing left but a faint memory, confused feelings, and a family that was quick to judge. 

Regina was right. She had been the one who wanted to stay, despite her earliest prejudices. She had wanted to see, feel how it would be like to spend Christmas in a normal family. In the end, they turned out to be as dysfunctional as many of her foster families. 

One more day, she told herself, curling her fingers into the pillow, sniffing. One more day, and then she could go home. She wanted nothing to do with them anymore.


	5. Chapter 5

With jerking movements, Regina made the sofa in the living room - the guest room had been occupied by a snoring Pastor Tuck. She felt defeated after the fight with her mother and especially the fight with Emma.

In her anger, she had said things she shouldn’t have had. She had wanted to spare Emma the pain of Jones’ cheating history but she had been hurt and - God, Regina was just human. Her eyes burned with fatigue, unspilled tears, and frustration and she blinked when she heard stomping footsteps coming closer.

“I heard Emma crying in your room. What’d you do to her?” Robyn demanded to know. 

“Robyn-”

“You’re so stupid, aunt Regina! You better not have broken up with her.” Angry eyes focused on hers and at that moment, her kindhearted niece resembled Zelena more than she ever had.

“I can assure you-” Regina tried again, seeing the movement behind the girl - her eyes flashed up and met Zelena’s - before she turned her attention back to the girl who was radiating fury.

“She’s the best! She’s pretty, and she’s nice, and she  _ talks  _ to you. And she says what she really feels. And nobody else around here does that,” Robyn cried out. Regina lowered her gaze. “And you don’t fool me one bit,” Robyn continued, being far from done. “You watch every move she makes. You’re in  _ love  _ with her.”    
  
“Robyn,” Zelena now interfered, but Robyn ignored her, her eyes flashing from Regina to someone behind her - her father, it must be Henry - before she continued. “And I was hoping she was gonna be my aunt and now you’ve ruined  _ everything _ .” She squared her shoulders, arms straight down and hands curled into fists, leaning a little forward as the rage oozed from her small frame.

“Robyn,” Zelena said more sternly

“How can you do this to me?” Robyn roared, the impotence clear in her voice.

“Robyn,” Regina sighed, but the girl turned and ran away. Regina raised a hand and frustratedly ran it through her hair and grabbed her pillow, burying her face into it. She heard Zelena’s footsteps walk away from her to go after her daughter and defeated, she lowered the pillow.

The night light behind her shut off and she turned, meeting her father’s concerned eyes. She lowered herself on the sofa and sighed. “I can’t win,” she lamented, slightly shaking her head. She felt a little nauseous and she leaned back on the sofa, closing her eyes. The couch dipped next to her, she opened her eyes again as she found her father sitting next to her.

Henry stared at a point on the wall.

“Are you in love with her?” he quietly inquired.

“Absolutely not,” Regina was quick to say, but it felt like a lie.

“Are you sure?” Henry asked, turning his head around to face her.

“I was just trying to keep her from thinking too much about her old boyfriend,” she replied unhappily. “She’s… still in love with the guy. She’s not... ” Her eyes moved away from her father and his knowing eyes as her voice faltered. She sighed softly, apprehension boiling in her stomach. 

There was a short pause before Henry spoke again. “Well, sweetheart, I do believe that she may be in love with you.”

Regina swallowed thickly and she frowned - this was not something to joke about. But when she looked up and met her father’s gaze once more, she saw that he really believed what he’d said. And for just this once, she wished that it might be true. 

“You do? Are you  _ sure? _ ” she quietly inquired, but her father remained silent, just watching his daughter’s response. Anticipation settled in her stomach. “How do you  _ know _ that?” And she couldn’t help a hint of eagerness in her voice. “Did she say anything?”

Henry chuckled. “Oh, lord,” he murmured fondly, raising his hand to stroke her hair, “You really are in love with her.” Automatically, Regina shook her head. But she felt the warmth inside her stomach. 

And knew he was right. 

These past few days she’d set aside her prejudices about a loud-mouthed, obnoxious waitress and she had started to see the woman for who she really was - a guarded but kind-hearted woman, funny and not afraid to stand up for herself. And god, she was beautiful - her golden curly hair, her bright green eyes, narrow lips - too often turned downward but heavens, if she smiled she lit up the entire room. She’d wiggled her way under Regina’s skin without her realizing. She shook her head lightly with a smile. Her father squeezed her knee.

“And here’s something else I know,” Henry continued in a different tone, leaving Regina to figure out her thoughts about Emma. “You will regret it for the rest of your life if you let this business with Emma ruin your relationship with your mother.”

Regina scoffed. “That relationship was ruined way before this, daddy,” she replied softly. “Way, way before.”   
  
“I don’t believe that forgiveness is earned. I think it’s given,” Henry told her, pulling her closer by wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She leaned her head on his shoulder. “The only way this will ever end is when one of you decides to just forgive the other. Out of… generosity. When you need that more than you need to be right.” Maybe, Regina thought, but she didn’t know if she was ready to forgive her mother. She also knew that she had inherited her own stubbornness from Cora, but her mother had perfected it. If there was ever someone who would forgive the other, it should be Regina.

“It’s almost Christmas, dear. A time for miracles, is it not?”

Her father pressed a kiss to her temple and stood up, leaving Regina, stuck in her own thoughts, behind.

When her phone rang, she picked it up automatically. Her boss informed her that she had to deliver Emma to the courtroom the day after Christmas. She assured Neal that Emma was fine - it made her heart contract because physically, she might be fine, but emotionally she was probably all over the place. Like Regina was. She ended the call and stared at the Christmas tree, which seemed to mock her with the joyful ornaments and lights.

Even if her father was right and Emma was in love with her, she was still in her care. She couldn’t do anything about it and Emma had to stay away as far as possible from her, emotionally, anyway. It was why Regina didn’t go up to her room. It was why she curled up on the couch, lost in her own thoughts as she tried to unravel, tried to make sense of every emotion twisting and turning inside her body and mind.

But maybe, just maybe, after all of this was over, Regina could look her up. Apologize. And who knows, maybe Emma would give her another chance.

It was only a sliver of hope to hold on to, but it was the only thing she had.

~*~

Emma felt tired when she woke up by a soft knock on the door. “Hurry, Emma, it’s Christmas! We’re gonna open our presents!” The girl stormed off right after and Emma smiled as she heard the thundering footsteps on the stairs.

She dragged herself out of bed, threw a look at the empty floor - she’d gotten used to Regina sleeping next to her in this room, even if only on the floor - and sighed. Her duffel bag contained one more pair of jeans, clean underwear and socks and a white sweater with a low v-neck. She dreaded this morning, especially when she opened the bedroom door and heard laughing coming from the living room. But she couldn’t stay away and she didn’t want to disappoint Robyn or Henry - the only ones who had given her some respect - so she made her way down.

“Hi,” she shyly announced herself. Cora looked at her sternly, then continued to hand out mugs of coffee. Henry motioned her to come closer. “Here, sit next to Regina,” he told her while handing her her own coffee. Emma smiled in appreciation, wrapping her fingers around the hot mug. She shuffled past Regina and sat down, back straight, only shortly gazing sideways. Regina looked as tired as she felt, bags under her eyes and hair messy. She was also nursing her own cup of coffee and raised her eyes to meet Emma’s. The glance in her eyes was something Emma couldn’t define, but the corners of her eyes wrinkled. “Morning,” she whispered and Emma nodded back at her. She hadn’t forgotten the hurtful things she’d told her the day before.

“Here!” Robyn came bouncing towards her, pushing a gift bag into her hands. “This one’s for you!” 

“No, kid,” Emma protested, startled, trying to push the gift back. “That’s not for me.”

“Yes, it is,” Robyn brightly said, lifting the gift bag so Emma could see the nametag, “Your name is on it.” 

“Oh.” Emma shifted uneasily in her seat, eyes shifting through the room. And while Robyn continued to hand out the presents, she fidgeted with the edge of the gift bag. Walsh opened his first - a funny object that eventually turned out to be a relaxation pillow - and then Robyn unwrapped one she received from her grandmother - a horrible Christmas sweater that even in times in which ugly Christmas sweaters were hip, was awful. Christmas gifts were exchanged until Zelena asked Emma: “Are you going to open your presents?”

Emma’s stomach dropped. “Um. No, it’s okay.” 

“Go ahead, dear,” Henry smiled at her. 

She reluctantly opened the present - it was a dark blue leather jacket and it looked awfully expensive. When her head jerked up, she met Henry’s fond gaze. “Do you like it?”   
  
“I love it,” she murmured, forcing a wide smile. “Thank you so much.” 

“Now, open mine,” Zelena said, giving her two boxes. With renewed dread and flustered because of all the attention, she opened the first. She pulled out a new set of sneakers, almost identical to the ones she had been wearing when she had entered this house, but these ones were the real deal and not the fake knock-offs she’d bought herself. Emma blinked heavily and stuttered a thank-you.

Then, Robyn brought her another present. “This one’s from me,” she chipperly said, wriggling herself in between Regina and Emma.

“Don’t tell me you bought it with your own money,” Emma said to her, but Robyn nodded eagerly. 

"Of course I did, silly!” 

Emma unwrapped it quickly and saw a small box inside. She carefully opened it and saw the cutest keychain. “It’s a swan,” she said in surprise and held it up so she could see better. 

“It’s because your last name is Swan,” Robyn explained, “I thought it was so pretty. Just like you.” 

“It’s beautiful, Robyn. Thank you so much.” She wrapped her arms around the girl and gave her a kiss on her cheek. And when the girl bounced off again, she leaned backward. She felt so bad. So bad that she received presents and had nothing to give in return. So bad, that she had to leave the girl behind and that she had to lie. She smiled in appreciation, but when Regina leaned in a little closer and the attention was drawn to Cora, who sat at the other side of the room, she murmured: “This is the worst day of my entire life.”

“Well,” Regina whispered back, “It’s not over yet.” There were still many gifts to give and unwrap, and Emma kept her fake smile plastered on her face, all the way thinking that if someone would say something either terrible or overly nice, she’d burst into tears.

~*~

After presents and lunch, Emma and Regina went upstairs to pack. They were carefully avoiding each other, not ready to talk about what had happened yesterday but they wanted to have everything ready so they could leave quickly. Regina’s eyes couldn’t stop wandering to Emma, who was wearing the jacket Henry had given her. To be honest, it was way, way better than her old one. But it was as expensive as three months' salary, most probably.

She wanted to say something but she didn’t know what exactly. Emma had found the opening of their gifts an ordeal - her family, save her mother, had maybe bought some last-minute gifts out of some sense of duty, but that probably didn't mean they had been less sincere. But Emma had experienced it as fake, especially after last night, especially because these gifts were more expensive than anything she could ever afford on her own. And it had reminded her of Killian, who had overloaded her with these kinds of gifts, always wanting something in return. She wanted to explain, wanted Regina to understand, but couldn’t. Regina could never understand what this meant. That she didn’t need any of this.

“Did you pack everything?” she asked Emma instead, “Can I take your bag to the car?”   
  
Emma nodded without meeting her eyes and Regina sighed. The brunette hesitated as if she wanted to say something but then reconsidered, took Emma’s bag, and left the room.

Emma stayed behind. Her eyes wandered through the room. She was tired. Tired of her own emotions. Tired of being all over the place. These past few days had been an emotional roller coaster, not just because of this family she’d pretended to be a part of, but because of her own inner turmoil as well.

The door opened without a knock and Emma, who had expected Regina, blinked in surprise when she saw Zelena.

“I heard you’re leaving soon,” the redhead said. It wasn’t a question, but Emma nodded anyway. 

“Zelena, can I ask you a question?” she asked before Zelen could say anything else.

“Sure,” the redhead returned, head a little tilted in curiosity.

“Why did you buy me a gift? I thought you didn’t even like me.” 

“Well, I didn’t at first,” Zelena slowly started. “You held on to my sister as if she were a winning lottery ticket. A predator.” 

Emma scoffed in disbelief.

“But then I saw you together. And darling, the way you stand up to mother - that’s already worth the benefit of the doubt.” Zelena grinned. “As you’ve seen, mother hardly cares about what I do and cares too much about Regina’s whereabouts. I know mother’s given you a hard time. I guess I was trying to say that not all of us are heartless wankers.” 

“Oh,” Emma breathed, “okay.” She felt emotions whirl in her stomach. She hadn’t expected such an extended, honest answer. 

“Regina and I… we haven't seen eye to eye for a long time. Regina was mommy dearest’s favorite but she could never live up to her expectations. And I tried, just to get her attention. We’re probably the most dysfunctional family on the entire planet. But still, I love Regina. And I see that you’re good for her. You surely need some getting used to, but you challenge her in a way… I don’t know. She’s a less obnoxious twit this Christmas. And that’s because of you.”

Emma blinked, and Zelena turned to the door again. “And if you hurt her I’ll kick your sorry ass across the country and then some,” she serenely added before leaving the room.

Emma snorted against the closed door.

~*~

Regina was in the kitchen with her parents and Walsh. She had packed the car and had informed her parents that they were going to leave, even before dinner. It was for the best. Her father had sighed in disappointment, Walsh had protested a little, but Regina’s mind was set. She didn’t want to stay any longer than necessary. After lunch, they’d leave.

It wasn’t long after before they left the exact way they came - through the front door, in a tiny layer of melting snow. 

Her father was waiting for her next to the car. “Are you going to say goodbye to your mother?” 

“Just goodbye,” Regina answered, placing the final presents in the backseat of the car.

“Regina,” Henry said softly, “Please tell her you’re sorry. It doesn’t matter if you are. It’s the words that are important.”   
  
“I can’t,” Regina replied, eyes away from her father. She loved him deeply, but she just couldn’t. It was what she always did - bow to her mother in the end. She didn’t want to do it this time. He sighed, hugged her, and moved away from the car. 

Emma, who’d followed the interaction and stepped closer, handing over the gifts she’d received for Regina to put next to her own.

“Is there any chance you and your mother would reconcile if we were to go back in and say sorry?” Emma then asked.

Regina snorted. “No. Bad idea. And totally inappropriate.” 

Emma shook her head. “What is it with you people and this appropriate crap?”

“She invalidated everything I stand for. And she completely disregarded you.” The fierceness in her voice surprised them both. “I can’t bear her disappointment in me,” Regina snapped. “All she cares about are appearances and what she can brag about at the country club. She doesn't care about  _ me _ , she’s just looking out for her own best interest. And I… I just don’t want to be disappointed in her anymore, either. And just for the record, I really, really don’t need your advice right now.”

“Advice from an orphaned waitress who doesn’t know what she’s talking about in the first place?” She didn’t look hurt and Regina rolled her eyes. 

“Advice from  _ you _ . Emma please, just… don’t.” She turned around and moved back inside the house to say their final goodbyes.

Her mother first. She wanted to get it over with. After a curt knock on the door, she stepped into her mother’s study. The room held a lot of memories, none of them very good ones. Regina had often been called here for punishment, a speech lined with disapproval, or just sat behind the desk to work harder on her grades. But she couldn’t think about that now.

She held her gaze transfixed on the woman behind the desk. “We’re leaving.” Cora looked up briefly and again, she breathed in. And out.   
  
“Goodbye,” her mother replied, before turning back to her paperwork.

Regina shook her head in disbelief and opened her mouth. “Mother, I’m sorry.”

Huh. She hadn’t meant to say that. Apparently, both Emma and her father had gotten into her head. But now that she  _ had _ , she couldn’t un-say it. So she straightened her back, waiting for her mother to reply.

Cora’s eyes briefly flashed away from what she was doing. “Safe journey, then,” was the only thing she said.

Anger flared up inside Regina. Maybe she hadn’t intended to apologize but she had and she couldn’t help it, her mother’s nonresponse triggered her. “Did you hear what I just said? I just apologized for not telling you what was going on, but I couldn’t,” she told her, voice tensed.

“And how could you do something like that to me?” Cora replied coolly. “You completely disregarded all my values.”

“I have the same values you do,” Regina retorted vehemently, “but people aren’t as simple as values. The bad do good things every once in a while, and the good, they make mistakes. Like, like your friend, Mister Gold.” Cora’s head snapped up, but Regina wasn’t finished. “I believe Emma’s smart. She knows what’s at stake. I believe she can turn the state’s evidence against Killian Jones. If she does, she’ll be the real hero in this case. Not the feds. And most certainly not me. She has the most to lose here.” Cora narrowed her eyes at her, but Regina couldn’t stop now. “And as long as I’m telling you the truth, let me tell you one more. I always wanted to have an authentic life, and I got one. I get to be myself at all times. I don’t care how much money I make or how much prestige I have. I’m happy doing what I love to do. And I’m damn good at it, too. I am not a failure.” 

There was a short silence before Cora leaned back in her chair. “Well,” she said, not responding to anything Regina had said, “It is time for you to go.” 

Regina blinked, not believing what she heard. Stunned, she asked against better judgment, “That’s all? That’s all you have to say to me?” 

“That’s all,” Cora said, bending over her paperwork again, dismissing her with a wave of her hand. 

Regina scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. She turned to walk away, then reconsidered. “I knew. I knew you couldn’t apologize to me. I knew it,” she spat to her mother, before turning on her heels and striding out of the office. She yanked the door open, causing both her father and Emma, surprisingly, to jump away, but she didn’t look at them. This had been a mistake, she felt humiliated, and she wanted to get out of here.

Emma followed closely, jacket in her arms but as Robyn wanted to say goodbye to her, she fell behind. Her father caught up with her when she went to open the door to the driver’s seat. 

“I’m so sorry, dearest,” her father said, and Regina sighed.

“Why do I even try?” Regina lamented, defeated.

“She doesn’t mean it.”

Regina snorted. “You always make excuses for her, daddy,” she sighed. 

“At least you did it. You had compassion. You didn’t let your ego get in the way of your judgment.”

Anger flared up in Regina’s belly. “Then why am I the one who feels humiliated?”

Her father’s face dropped. “Your mother is a stubborn, unforgiving woman. And if it’s any consolation, that makes her a lonely woman. I wished I could change her, but I can’t. I just… put up with her, and I have done that a lot longer than you have. And I still love her. Despite all the ways she tries to defeat me, even in that.” 

Regina rolled her eyes. If her father couldn’t change her mother with all his devotion, with all his love, then how the hell could she have expected a different result? “Bye, daddy,” she said, kissing him on his cheek.

“And I really care for Emma,” he murmured. Regina automatically shook her head, but he added, “I wish things were different for the two of you.” He touched her face, caressed her cheeks, and for a second, she leaned into it, touching his forehead with hers and closing her eyes. Then, he let go, took a few steps back and she watched him as he turned and walked back to Emma. “Good luck, dear,” he told her, and impulsively, Emma wrapped her arms around him.

“Thank you for everything, Henry,” Regina heard Emma say, muffled by the hug. “You were so nice, you didn’t have to be.” He smiled at her, and then Emma was ambushed by Robyn again.

Regina felt a hand on her shoulder and when she looked up, she saw Zelena standing behind her. “So, sis, are you going to make an honest woman out of that one?” she murmured and despite everything, Regina couldn’t help but smile. 

“Goodbye, Zelena,” she pointedly said, turning around, grabbing her sister’s arms, and hugging her back. “Thank you for everything.”   
  
“From me, too,” she heard Emma’s voice closeby, and when Regina released Zelena, Emma extended a hand. “Thank you for the lovely gifts. It meant a lot,” she said a little reserved, but Zelena simply scoffed. Grabbing Emma’s hand, she pulled her closer into an embrace. “Remember what I told you,” Zelena whispered. “I’ll dog you if you hurt her.”

Emma laughed and nodded. “Ta ta, sis,” Zelena said to Regina, waving with her hand, and she smiled as she finally stepped in the car. When she looked up to her family, she noticed her mother had stepped out as well. She was standing on the porch, posture rigid like Regina had seen many times before, and she lifted her hand. Regina eyed her for a moment, then turned to face the windshield and switched the key, after which the car came to life. Regina lifted her hand in a final goodbye to her family. Then, she drove away.

The drive would take them a couple of hours, and both of them were quiet for the first part, but sunken into their own thoughts. Regina lamented that her mother was such a stubborn, rigid woman, who held double standards if it suited her. Cora had always expressed disappointment in her, had always talked her down, could never show that she was proud. To make matters worse, she had always ignored Zelena who was doing her very best to grab Cora’s attention - hell, her sister had even picked the career path Cora had wanted Regina to take - and their mother still hardly noticed. 

If Cora wanted to shape Regina into the person she had always wanted her to be, she chose a damn hellish way to prove it. 

And then there was Emma and the recent change in development. Because, yes, it might be very well true that she was in love with the blonde, but despite what her father had said, their worlds were miles apart. And Emma still had feelings for Killian, right? She clenched her teeth several times and felt the tension creep up in her shoulders, which she tried to roll a little to alleviate it. It hardly worked.

Emma, on the other hand, was silently processing the roller coaster of the last few days. She’d hated the gift exchange this morning because it had felt so, so fake. But then, Zelena had told her very honestly what she’d thought about her. Robyn had had tears in her eyes when she said goodbye (Regina probably shouldn’t know, but Emma had given the kid her phone number). Henry had also seemed genuinely sad that they were leaving - her, too! - and it left Emma confused.

She had always silently accused Regina of being biased, being prejudiced, but it had dawned to her that she, too, had held some prejudices about rich people of her own. She shot a quick glance to the woman behind the steering wheel. Regina still was a whole other mystery. Sometimes Emma thought she knew what she was thinking, what she was feeling, but other times - like now, actually - she didn’t have a clue. Another thing she didn’t have a clue about were these churning emotions and feelings inside her whenever she simply saw Regina. Whenever she laughed. Whenever she wrinkled her nose or furrowed her brow. 

When they’d started this trip of theirs, ever since Regina had more or less forced her to confess, Emma had thought her to be a stuck-up bitch. She didn’t, anymore. Regina had started to grow on her and  _ fuck,  _ that kiss! She didn’t know if it was because she had changed, or maybe Regina had, or maybe  _ everyone _ had. Or maybe none of them had and they had just made the best of a really awkward situation.

Was that really all it was? Adapting to a situation that was thrown at them? Regina had made it very clear that Emma was her job. That had surprisingly hurt her feelings because Emma never had felt like this for a woman before. Or maybe, a voice in her head lisped, you simply hadn’t met the right one.

She was thinking in circles and couldn’t break them through.

Regina stopped at a gas station, parked the car, and rolled her shoulders to alleviate some of the tension. Emma tilted her head a little to watch her. “Do you think people can change?” Emma blurted out, voicing some of her raging thoughts

Regina lifted her eyes to look at her. “If they truly want to,” she quietly answered with a tentative nod.

“Have you ever met anyone who did?” Emma dared to ask, a little hopeful. Could Regina acknowledge their change? Could either of them? But Regina’s frown grew deeper.

“No. I can’t say that I have,” she replied.

Emma’s heart sank a little. “That’s too bad,” she murmured. “You sounded so sure of yourself that I almost had hope.” She sank back to her seat and turned her head to look out her window. Regina sat still for a few seconds, then sighed softly. She opened the car door and stepped out, leaving Emma alone with her thoughts.


	6. Chapter 6

They had to appear in court the next morning, so Regina booked them two hotel rooms closeby. Emma was exhausted from all her emotions, her disappointments, from being near Regina - apparently - and from her growing anxiety for the next day.

“Here’s yours,” Regina told her, handing her the key to her room. Emma lifted her hand and took the key.    
  
“Where are you gonna sleep?” she asked, and Regina pointed to a room down the hall.

“Room 108. Down the hall.” 

Emma nodded. She didn’t want to say goodbye yet. Knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep any time soon. “It’s gonna be weird, not having you sleep on the floor next to me,” she grinned sheepishly. 

Regina pulled up the corner of her mouth. “Well. After two nights on the floor and one on a sofa, I could use a real bed tonight.” It almost sounded like an apology. “But if you need me, you just call. And…” Her voice died away as she took a little step back, allowing Emma to open her room. Still, she was super close - she could feel Regina’s breath on her cheek - and Emma wondered for a few seconds what Regina would do if Emma closed the small distance and kissed her.

Of course, she didn’t, because even though her entire being wanted it, this magnetic pull towards the brunette also confused her immensely.

“Yeah,” Emma muttered, her eyes to the floor and cheeks pink - thank goodness for the dimmed lights in the hall. She pressed her hand to her stomach, taking a step inside, not knowing what to say. “Well. Thanks for… letting me meet your family, I guess, no matter how dysfunctional they are.”

Regina’s smile grew a little and something flashed in her eyes, but before Emma could address it, she stepped further back. “You’re welcome, I suppose. Sleep well, Emma.” She turned and walked away, and it gave Emma no other choice but to close the door. Her lips tingled from the thoughts she had before and once the door was closed, she leaned her forehead against it. 

Confused or not, hearing Regina’s footsteps move away from her felt like a personal loss and she suddenly felt cold. It took all of her willpower not to open the door and go after her, and tell her… what? That she had  _ feelings _ for her? She didn’t even know what they were, exactly. 

But with Regina, she felt safe. And despite their disagreements, despite their fights - boy, they’d had some intense fights - she wanted her close. Emma groaned out loud, bumped her head against the door one last time, and then whirled around on her heels and closed the short distance to her bed. She didn’t even undress and let herself fall face forward into the pillows. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Because it would never work anyway. Their story sounded like a cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie, but then without the happy ending. Christmas was almost over anyway. Besides, Regina didn’t even like her. She had hoped that she could change into someone good enough, but people couldn’t really change. She’d always be the orphan without an education, without a great future, with jobs like the one she currently had at best. She wasn’t even remotely near Regina’s league.

She continued to chastise herself for having had hope in the first place for a few more moments until there was a knock on her door.

Lifting her head, she frowned. And then, filled with anticipation - oh God,  _ God,  _ had Regina come back? What did that mean? And with a growing, beaming smile on her face she couldn’t suppress, she yanked open the door.

Her face dropped immediately and her eyes grew wide in shock.

In front of her stood Killian Jones, with a pile of Christmas gifts in his arms. Her heart started to pound in her throat, making it difficult to breathe, and a ringing warning sound blared deafening in her ears.

“Ho ho ho,” he drawled, moving past her with his signature smirk, “Merry Christmas, love.”

Unable to say anything, she simply closed the door behind him. “How… how did you find me?” she asked him warily. She didn’t really know what his intentions were but the fact that he had arrived with gifts instead of, you know, a gun or another way to kill her, made her confident enough to ask.

“Once my lawyer recognized you at the party, he called us. And I had you followed.” He nudged one of the presents to her before he sat in the armchair next to the bed. “Go on, love. Open up your presents.”

Reluctantly, she walked around the bed - she wanted it between the two of them in case he would try anything - and took the first one. Her shaky fingers had a little trouble with the ribbon, but she managed in the end and opened the box. A very expensive looking red leather coat emerged and she bit her lip. Killian knew exactly what style she liked, she realized when she opened the next box revealing a couple of designer pants. How couldn’t he? He had been part of her life for the past few years. He even got her some jewelry, some of which she had been eyeing in a store when they walked past it recently. She wasn’t a jewelry type, but she’d liked the simple rings and that cute charm bracelet.

“You can still change your mind, you know,” Killian said, his dark eyes fixed on her.

“About what?” she muttered, lifting the charm bracelet she had just unwrapped on her index finger. It really was beautiful.

“Testifying, love. You don’t really want to hurt me like that, do you?” His brow furrowed a little and she tilted her head. 

“They said I could be arrested if I don’t testify.” 

Killian scoffed. “They’re bluffing. They’ve got nothing on you. They’re using you to get to me.” He got up, walked around the bed towards her and she instinctively took a step back, folding her arms in front of her chest. He took the bracelet from her hand and motioned her to hold out her arm so he could put it around her wrist. “Do you know how many years the FBI has been dogging me?” His large, warm hands wrapped around her upper arms after the bracelet was in place, his thumbs caressing her gently. “They have nothing on me if they haven’t got you, otherwise they’d have me arrested long before. If you refuse to testify, they have to let me go. And then you and I can go somewhere warm, tropical.”

His arms slid up, squeezed her shoulders, and then moved up to her neck, her face, which he cupped gently. “Right now, I have to protect my family. Family means everything,” he murmured, and when he softly pushed a tendril of hair behind her ear, she smelled the rum on his breath. “You won’t ruin my family now, will you, love?” His voice had dropped and she had to suppress a shiver running down her spine. 

“No,” she whispered. His large hands were combing through her hair.

“Good,” he hummed, leaning in and pressing his lips on hers. A few days ago she’d have welcomed his touch. Now, she had to force herself not to turn away from his gruff lips, the prickling of his unshaven beard. “I knew I could count on you,” he said, a satisfied smirk on his face. “Tomorrow after the hearing I’ll pick you up. We’ll go somewhere nice.” He let her go but she stood rooted to her spot while he grabbed his long, leather coat - his nickname wasn’t Captain Hook for nothing - and returned for a final goodbye kiss.

“You’re a good girl,” he told her after kissing her, “Never change.” And with those words, he went to the door and left the room.

Emma sank to the edge of the bed, a sob stuck in her throat. Never change. She drew a shuddering breath. As if she could. Maybe, despite the agony she’d just felt, she should take him up on his offer and leave this wretched place. 

And then what? She shook her head. She knew she couldn’t.

There was another knock on her door and automatically, Emma got up. Had Killian returned? Did he forget something, or did he want to say something else? A little fearful, she opened the door.

But it wasn’t Killian, she noticed while a wave of relief washed over her. It was Regina.

Regina had been tossing and turning in her bed. She was wrong, she had realized. Earlier that evening, when Emma had asked her if she believed people could change. Still bitter about her mother, she had answered no, she didn’t know anyone. 

But she  _ had  _ worked through some unexpected changes, she had realized. And Emma had changed too. And God, it had taken sheer willpower to turn and walk away from the blonde’s hotel room door just now. She knew it was the right thing to do, rationally - after all, Regina was still on the case - but she wished it wasn’t. It didn’t feel like the right thing. There had been something in Emma’s eyes, too, something so similar to what she felt herself - could it be that her father might be right? Even if it was just maybe a little?

She sighed impatiently, tossing and turning in her bed. Maybe people could change. She had. Seeing her father and her sister and niece over Christmas had, for a change, been really nice. Sure, her mother had been a cold-hearted bitch, but as her father had said, she would never change.

Being incapable of change made you stuck in one mindset, in one place, maybe. And Regina didn’t want that. She wanted to move forward. And if she pictured it in her head, she didn’t want to move forward all by herself. She wanted someone next to her. Someone with bright green eyes and unruly blond curls.

“Damn it,” she whispered in the darkness, throwing the sheets away from her. She’d always played safe. Could she, maybe, take a risk - no, a chance?

It was still Christmas, was it not? Maybe Christmas miracles were possible? And once she made the decision, she felt light - no. She felt free. 

Suddenly determined, she threw her legs over the edge of the bed and slid into her shoes. She marched out of the door before her courage left her and quickly made her way to Emma’s door. Pressing one hand to her stomach and inhaling deeply, she raised the other one and knocked. That’s it. There was no turning back now.

The door opened swiftly, and Emma came into view. Her heart jumped up, galloped in her chest. It’s why she didn’t register the weird glance on Emma’s face.

“Oh,” Emma said, “It’s you.”

Regina frowned, adrenaline still coursing through her veins. “Who did you think it would be?” she smiled. “Can I… Can I come in?”

Emma breathed quickly, she noticed, but instinctively, Regina knew it wasn’t because of her visit. Her eyes wandered over the woman in front of her, stopping at the wrist with the charm bracelet. “Where did you get that?”

Emma closed her eyes, pulled the door open further, revealing the gift boxes and the presents on the bed. “Killian was here,” Emma murmured, running a hand through her hair. “He had us followed.”

Regina rubbed a hand through her face, disbelief written all over her face. “I can’t believe this.”   
  
“He has a lot of connections, Regina,” Emma continued.

Her earlier reasons to come here shoved aside, Regina frantically ran the last couple of hours through her mind. “How could I have missed this?” she scolded herself, hands buried in her hair. 

“Maybe because you were distracted,” Emma said, a faint accusation in her voice. Regina’s head snapped back up. And she narrowed her eyes at the now guarded blonde. Yes. She had been distracted. By her mother, by her family, by  _ Emma. _ And now, Emma had paid the price. Maybe Regina had, as well, seeing the distant eyes - she knew what Killian had come to do. Her entire case might be jeopardized.

“Listen to me, Emma, you know what he’s trying to do, right?”

“Yeah. He told me.”   
  
“He did?” Regina was surprised. “What did he tell you?”

“He doesn’t want me to testify,” Emma blurted out. “He said - he said he just wanted to protect his family. And he wants to be with me and take me to a faraway place.” Her hands were folded together, fingers fidgeting.

Regina’s heart dropped. “And do you believe that?”

“I don’t know!” Emma cried out, “But he didn’t show up here with a gun. He could’ve killed me if he wanted to, but he didn’t. And I think - I think he included me in his family.”

“ _ Really? _ ” Venom dripped from Regina’s voice. She was shocked that Emma could be so easily swayed by a couple of presents. But she had to remind herself that even though Regina really did believe that people could change, Emma had been subjected to a loveless life for so long that buying her gifts and giving her attention could still be enough to win her over.

“What are you going to do now?” 

“I don’t know,” Emma spat back, “I have to think about it.” She sounded distressed, in agony, and despite Regina’s own betrayed feelings, she had to get Emma’s trust back. After all, she was still her case. And God only knew how long this case was going to take. Her earlier intentions all but forgotten, she rubbed her neck and sighed.

“Look,” she started, calmer now, while carefully trying to ban the raging emotions from her face. “I know that what you saw at my parents' house was a lot of dirty laundry.”

Emma looked at her, wide eyes. “No, I-”

"You saw the worst side of us. It caused me to let my guard down and I never should have been anything other than an agent around you. What you saw…” Regina locked her eyes with Emma. “I failed my job, Emma. I failed you.” 

Emma looked hurt, scoffed, and turned her head away. “No, you didn’t,” she answered, bitterness evident in her voice while she sank in the chair in which Killian had sat not long before. “You did your job, Regina. Kept a  _ waitress  _ amused for the weekend so she wouldn’t think about the hearing and that’s exactly what you did.” She sighed, a glance of defeat in her eyes. “But now we’re back. And I also have to think about  _ me  _ and what the right thing to do really is.” Her voice nearly broke. “My life is at best ruined, at the worst on the line.”

Regina went to sit opposite her, desperately wanting to reach out for her. And at that very moment, she couldn’t hide behind her work anymore. The way Emma talked about herself, feeling hopeless, and without options - it hurt Regina as much as it did Emma. “You remember when we talked about whether people could really change?” she vehemently asked, not waiting for an answer. “Well, I believe they can change. But they can’t do it by themselves - they need help. And you - you changed me.” 

Emma stared at her blankly and agony coiled in Regina’s belly, but she couldn’t stop. Not now. “I feel I let go of something heavy I’ve been carrying around for so many years, I guess I… got used to being weighed down by it. Does that make any sense to you?” She pressed her hands against her own chest. “Because I feel… free.” 

Now, Emma got up, tears glistening in her eyes as she moved closer until she towered over Regina. “What do you want from me, Regina?” she whispered, voice shaking.

“I want you,” Regina said, getting up as well, “to tell me if you’re still in love with Killian Jones.”

Emma closed her eyes, a tear falling from her lashes. “I… I don’t know. I don’t know,” she repeated. “I loved him, I think, and I don’t think that just stops when you find out they do bad things. He took care of me for so long. And when I send him to jail, what does that say about me?” She hiccuped, now a bewildered look on her face as she frantically shook her head. “And what if he really does love me? I’d lose  _ everything _ .” She opened her eyes, which were shining with unshed tears, begging Regina to understand. 

Regina had to swallow a thick lump from her throat. She stood so close that she could smell the flowery shampoo in Emma’s hair, feel the shaking breath on her own lips. Saw the self-doubt, the diffidence in her green, shining eyes. And she couldn’t let it happen. She didn’t want Emma to feel that this was the only way to go.

“No, listen to me,” she urgently said, raising her hands and fighting not to touch Emma, pressing them together instead. Tears stung behind her own eyes now, as well. “You do not need Killian Jones. Everything you have, everything you are - it is you, not him. You think you were lucky to have him?” She scoffed. “Let me tell you something, he - He is the lucky one. He’s…” Shaking her head, she tried to find the right words. “Do not settle for how little he can give you, Emma,” she added, softer this time. She couldn’t prevent her heart from talking. “Don’t do it.”

Emma smiled shakily, eyes wandering over Regina’s face, only lingering a second on her lips before moving back to meet Regina’s eyes. And when she spoke, her voice was quivering, but there was a flat tone in her voice. A tone of acceptance. “Sometimes,” Emma softly started, eyes puffy, “you just have to grow up and realize that there are some things in this life you can’t get.”

Despair slammed into Regina’s stomach when she realized what Emma was going to say. She suppressed a gasp. “Killian’s what I can get,” Emma continued with a monotone, defeated voice, a forced smile. 

Regina wanted to grab her, to shake some sense into her. “Emma, you deserve so much more than that,” she told her with a choked voice. “You’re too good for him.”

“Please leave, Regina,” Emma muttered, turning her face away. “Please.” 

Regina wanted to say something - anything - but Emma had made perfectly clear what she wanted. And it wasn’t her. It didn’t surprise her that part of the weight Emma had lifted, had returned. She forced back her tears and turned around, walking towards the door. There was a reluctance in her step. She didn’t want to leave. Her entire body screamed at her to stop, but she couldn’t. 

When she opened the door, she briefly leaned her head against it and looked at Emma, who still had her face turned away from her, her back rigid, arms to her side with her hands curled into fists. Regina breathed in, out, and stepped out of the room, softly closing the door behind her.

She’d failed. On all accounts.

~*~

The next morning, Regina had Emma picked up by one of her female coworkers, Mulan Fa. She was to escort Emma to the courtroom because Regina had had to leave earlier to inform her boss of the most recent developments. Upon his question, if Miss Swan was still going to testify, she couldn’t give him an answer. “We can only hope,” she’d muttered. And then, Cassidy was called away and they only had a few minutes before the case began. She stalked through the halls of the court, making her way to the courtroom, filled with agony. She hadn’t talked with Emma anymore after last night and had barely slept afterward, while she tried to process everything that had happened. 

“Regina? Regina, dear,” she heard behind her and she stopped in her tracks. “Are we too late?”

“Daddy?” Then, Regina frowned as she turned, and she saw her parents coming up behind her. Both of them. “Mother? What are you doing here?” 

“It’s your father’s idea,” Cora said, her eyes traveling over her daughter’s suit - Regina lifted her chin immediately.   
  
Henry shot his wife a warning glance. “We’re here to witness the fruits of your labor,” he told her, “And we’re here to show Emma some support.” He beamed at her. “And we can’t believe you’ve brought down one of the biggest conmen in our area.” He smiled at Regina, who could not do anything else but return it, before he moved his eyes to Cora. There was a short, eerie silence amidst the noise of people around them and Cora looked momentarily pained, but then said: “I’m proud of you… for not being a calcified old bitch like me. And… can you forgive an old woman for being… a total jerk?” 

Regina’s eyes shot from her mother to her father, who looked a little smug with that tiny smile around his lips. She was in shock - even though this apology was clearly orchestrated by her father, it  _ was _ one. And now, it was up to her to either throw it back into her face like she had done to her daughter the day before - or to accept it. “Mother - yes. Of course.” 

Cora smiled a bit strained, pushed both her hands against her stomach, and winced.

“Are you going to make it there?” Regina said, still a little dazed by her mother’s apology.

“Now I have to say the same kind of thing to your sister,” Cora replied, a sideways glance to her husband. “Something about being able to juggle… motherhood and a career. I’ll let you know if I’ll recover.” 

Regina wanted to say something in return, but the trial started behind them, and Henry guided his wife to the public seats. Regina sighed a shaky sigh. Maybe not all was lost, she thought, following her parents with her eyes. Maybe even for the most rigid, change was still possible. With help. She didn’t want to know what her father had told her mother, but it had been enough to at least try.

Regina slipped into the courtroom just before the doors closed, and held her breath as Emma was called to the stand.

~*~

Emma had to introduce herself, answer some basic questions. She’d been prepared somewhat, early this morning, with questions she might expect. She felt closed off, numb, hadn’t felt cooperative this entire morning. She could’ve told them she wanted out, that she didn’t want to testify anymore, and yet, something inside her had stopped her from saying so. Which is why she was now sitting in the courtroom, next to the judge.    
  
She’d been on the edge of her seat at first, impressed with the bravado of the courtroom. She had answered the first questions a little tensed, completely focused on the prosecutor, but she had been able to relax into her chair somewhat as the prosecutor went on longer.

“Objection, your Honor, how is this relevant?” Killian’s lawyer Gold boomed, and Emma leaned back into her chair again, raising her eyebrows at him. She recognized him from the party, remembered that he had attempted to start a conversation with her, but Zelena had drawn her attention away from him. Emma played with a string of hair, wrapping it around her finger as she looked at the power display in front of her, waiting for the next question.

“No, I’ll allow it,” the judge countered, before turning his head to the prosecutor. “Please continue.”

“Miss Swan,” the man then turned to Emma again and she raised her chin. “How intimately do you know Killian Jones?”

She pulled up the corner of her mouth, let her hand fall down as she raised an eyebrow. “About as intimate as you can get,” she said with a breathy laugh, which set off some rumoring and laughter in the courtroom.

“Order in the court. Order,” the judge demanded, and the prosecutor ignored the sounds coming from the crowd behind him.

“Miss Swan, were you ever in his apartment, or your own when he was there, long enough to overhear conversations he had with his business partners?”

Family. There it was again. It was something that she had thought about after Regina had left the room. She had assumed that Killian saw her as family. That’s what he had meant, right? But right now, it was about Killian and his brother. She hesitated. Replayed Killian’s visit in her mind. He’d spoken about having to protect his family. 

“You could say that,” she slowly replied, trying to buy more time to get her thoughts in order.

“Miss Swan,” the judge sharply addressed her, “we need you to answer our questions honestly and forthright. We’re not playing here. Now, do you intend to testify today, or not?” 

She still hadn’t made up her mind. Family. What did that mean? Did it mean the presents and half-promises Killian could give her? Did he mean it, that he would take her away if she fumbled her testimony? Her eyes traveled to her (ex-?)boyfriend, but he didn’t look at her, he was smugly jabbing his elbow into his brother’s side. Liam had his eyes on her, narrowed. She didn’t really like him at first sight. 

Then, her eyes wandered through the courtroom. They had informed her that some of the victims would be present. She saw a few older people, a young couple looking up at her. They were almost pleading for her to speak up. And when she looked further, she froze in her seat. 

Henry and Cora Mills were watching her carefully. When she met their eyes, Cora tilted her head only a little, narrowed her eyes as if she was contemplating what to think of her, and Henry nodded encouragingly. She felt her cheeks go warm. What the hell were they doing here? 

A movement behind the couple made her snap her eyes up. Regina was standing behind them, hands uncharacteristically shoved in the pockets of her blazer. She held Emma’s gaze, and Emma remembered the words she had so insistently spoken the day before. So heartfelt.  _ You deserve _ so  _ much more than that. _

Did she? Her eyes wandered back to Killian, who now was staring at her from under his hooded eyes. 

“Shall I repeat the question, Miss Swan?” the judge told her sternly when her silence lingered on for too long.

“No. No, I heard you,” she answered, briefly flicking her eyes to the man next to her, before settling on Killian again.

The man leaned backward, smiled at her smugly, and suddenly, she knew it wasn’t a choice between Killian and Regina. It was a choice whether she was able to live with herself or not. Emma had made a lot of bad calls and decisions throughout her entire life but this situation, here and now, it was about doing something  _ right.  _ Not just for the people who had been duped by Killian, but for herself, too. For once, she wanted to feel good about herself. She needed to be able to look herself in the eye and not see a wronged girl, but a woman with a spine who could make her own decisions. Who really stood up for herself and for what was right, and who could deal with the consequences of her actions. She didn’t want to depend on others anymore. All she needed was herself.  _ Everything you have, everything you are - it is you, not him. _ Her eyes flashed to Regina, who simply held her gaze until Emma blinked, and her gaze returned to Killian.

“Yes,” she then said, straightening her back while holding Killian’s gaze. “I intend to testify here today.” He narrowed his eyes, then frowned in disbelief and broke the eye contact. 

The courtroom was alive again and the judge used his gavel to restore order. Emma looked up, saw Henry grasping Cora’s arm - wait, was that a little smile on Cora’s face? - and when she looked at Regina, she saw that the brunette had folded her hands together in front of her chest, the corners of her mouth pulled up. But before she could return any of it, the prosecutor demanded her attention.

“Miss Swan, did you ever overhear conversations Killian Jones had with his family?”

“I overheard many conversations he had with his brother,” she answered, looking right at the prosecutor. “He always used his speakerphone.” 

Once she’d made the decision to talk, it was easy. And in between, she remembered something else that Regina had told her the evening before. About needing someone else to change. Her eyes flicked back to the Mills family, who were listening intently. To Regina, behind them, bowing her head to her. Regina had been right. It was as if a burden was lifted from her shoulders. 

The trial took forever and when she was finally released, the lawyer that had been appointed to her guided her out. “Wow, that was something, huh? You were incredible,” he said, “Did you see the look on their faces?” Yes, she had, and she smiled at him.

“How does it feel? To be responsible for bringing down Killian Jones and his family?”

“It feels unreal,” Emma replied, shaking her head. Part of her still didn’t believe she really did it, but she felt good, light, and it was like an inner peace had settled over her.

“What are you going to do now?”

She shrugged. “Go home to sleep. Then, I’ll probably go and see Granny and Ruby at the bar.” 

“Emma?” she heard behind her.

The voice was a familiar one, and she whirled around. “Henry Mills,” she said with a faint smile, “I thought I recognized you sitting in the audience.” 

He opened his arms and she sighed, letting him hug her. “We wanted to support you, dear,” he murmured, and she couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Thank you for coming,” she whispered when he loosened his grip. This, she realized, _this_ was what she’d missed all those years. A parent who cared. “Really. Thank you,” she repeated heartfeltly. 

“You were very brave, Emma,” she heard a voice from her side. Cora eyed her a little stiffly. Emma nodded her head to acknowledge her words. “Thank you,” she said, a little quieter. She didn’t know what to make of Cora Mills, but seeing her eyes flick to Henry she suspected he had something to do with it. 

Regina slowly walked up to them. Emma looked at her. She didn’t know what to say, not after last night. But Regina kept the conversation neutral. “How do you feel?”

“I’m so glad it’s over,” she said with a smile and she folded her hands together, fingers fidgeting nervously.

Regina, of course, noticed and stepped a little closer. She kept her hands in the pockets of her coat. “You were amazing,” she softly said. “And I’m so, so proud of you.” 

“You are?” Emma whispered. She faintly noticed white flecks around them, realizing it had started to snow a little.

“Yes. What you did in there was extraordinary.” Regina’s eyes crinkled as her face lit up in a smile and Emma couldn’t help but return it. Her eyes fell to Regina’s lips and she shifted her weight, bit her lower lip and she snapped up her eyes again, while nervous energy settled in her belly.

“Emma… may I take you to dinner?” Regina asked, tentatively. 

“No,” Emma shook her head. 

“No?” Now, Regina frowned. And when Emma’s eyes locked with hers, she saw insecurity that tugged on the blonde’s heart. 

“No. But you can take me home?” she asked slowly. And it didn’t really matter which home or where they would be going, she realized when she raised her hand, pushing a tendril of hair behind Regina’s ear. Regina felt like home, no matter where they would go. Her fingers then traveled over Regina’s cheek, making the brunette shiver. Choosing for herself had made it so clear that this woman was the one she wanted to be with - if she’d still wanted to have her. 

“I’d be honored to,” Regina quietly smiled, taking Emma’s hand and pressing it to her cheek. Emma raised her other one to frame Regina’s face and she leaned forward, a silent question in her eyes which Regina gladly answered by closing the final distance between them, tentatively brushing her lips against Emma. A soft sigh escaped Emma’s throat at the gentle touch, while her hands slid from Regina’s face, over her shoulders to bury in her hair, and Regina’s arms slipped around her waist, pressing her close, intensifying their kiss. Her skin tingled with goosebumps, but she wasn’t cold. She was kept warm by the heat in her belly and Regina’s body pressed to hers, radiating warmth despite the two winter coats. 

She smiled against Regina’s mouth. “Guess you’re stuck with me now, huh?” she whispered, their lips still touching.

“Lord help me,” Regina murmured back with a deep sigh, which drew a chuckle from Emma. Last night had been pure agony but this was all worth it. Regina took Emma’s hand and brought it to her lips, pressing a kiss in her palm. And Emma shivered as Regina’s breath warmed her hand, murmuring, “But I wouldn’t want it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Want to chat? Find me on Twitter: @queststar or Instagram: @thequeststar :)


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